THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 

Wilmer  Shields 


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BELLE  WILLEY  GUE 


GROUNDED 


BY 


BELLE  WILLEY  GUE 


Publishers      DORRANCE       Philadelphia 


COPYRIGHT  1922 
BELLE  WILLEY  GUE 


PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 


3513 

S 
0 


To  one  who  noticed  and  remembered  and  was  able 

to  express  in  illuminating  language  the  most 

peculiar  and  complicated  as  well  as  the 

noblest  phases  of  human  existence 

CHARLES  DICKENS 


829252 


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As  long  as  there  are  blue  skies,  while  there  are 
fresh  and  lovely  flowers,  I  trust  that  there  will  be 
young  girls — as  sweet  and  innocent  as  Bettina 
Wane — who  may  enjoy  them. 

Closely  followed  by  the  lumbering  and  ungainly 
form  of  old  Margaret  O'Keefe,  Bettina 's  slender 
figure  was  clearly  outlined  in  the  early  morning 
light  of  a  soft  and  balmy  summer  day  as  the  two 
proceeded  along  the  public  highway  that  passed 
in  front  of  the  young  girl's  home. 

"We'll  shure  be  afther  foindin'  thim  this  toime, 
Miss  Bettina  darlin',  because  we're  out  so  airly," 
puffed  the  old  woman,  waddling  cheerfully  on. 
"Annyway,  their  purty  faces  an'  the  bright  eyes 
of  them  shud  soon  be  lookin*  up  at  us." 

"Yes,  Margaret  dear,"  answered  the  girl,  her 
carefully  modulated  words  making  a  strange  con 
trast  to  the  thick  tones  of  her  companion's  voice, 
"I  hope  today  that  we  shall  be  successful  in  our 
quest. ' ' 

' '  There  be  wan  now ! ' '  exclaimed  the  old  woman, 
ambling  as  hastily  as  she  could  to  the  edge  of  the 
ditch  beside  the  road,  and  stooping  down  with 
great  difficulty  to  examine  something  that  was  on 
the  ground.  "I  don't  believe  that  even  in  auld 
Oireland  herself  there  iver  was  a  purtier  blue 
flower,  set  off  with  its  green  leaves,  than  this  wan 
here!" 

She  then  triumphantly  held  up  for  Bettina 's 

11 


12  GROUNDED 

inspection  a  dog-tooth  violet,  which  the  girl  eager 
ly,  lovingly,  took  within  her  hands  and  pressed 
lightly  against  her  glowing  cheek. 

"  'Tis  a 'most  the  color  of  yer  own  bright  eyes, 
me  darlin'!"  old  Margaret  cried,  admiringly,  "its 
face  is  jist  as  swate  as  yer  own ! ' ' 

The  two  then  started  out  upon  a  systematic 
search,  and  soon  had  quite  a  bunch  of  flowers  as  a 
reward  for  their  efforts;  Bettina  laughingly  in 
sisted  that  Margaret  0  'Keef e  's  dimmed  eyes  were 
just  as  blue  as  were  her  own,  so  she  should  share 
with  her  the  violets  they  had  found. 

"But,  darlin ',''  protested  her  companion,  "  'tis 
youth  that  goes  wid  bloomin '  flowers,  an '  not  ould 
age!  'Tis  health  an'  strength  an'  soft,  smooth 
cheeks,  not  feebleness  an'  wrinkles,  that  ripresint 
the  sunshine  and  the  clear  blue  sky  the  same  as 
blossoms  do!" 

"Then,  Margaret,"  replied  the  girl,  placing  a 
strong,  slim  arm  across  the  substantial  shoulders 
of  the  other  woman, ' '  I  think  I  ought  to  make  you 
take  them  all!  You  bring  the  sunshine  with  you 
when  you  come,  and  take  it  with  you  when  you  go, 
and  as  to  clear  blue  skies — it  seems  to  me  you  do 
not  see  the  clouds  at  all!  Here  are  the  violets, 
Margaret  dear!"  thrusting  them  into  her  gnarled 
old  hands. 

"An'  yit  she  niver  kissed  the  blarney  stone,  the 
blissed  child!  She  niver  set  her  purty  fut  on 
Oirish  soil!  I'll  take  some  of  the  blossoms,  dar 
lin',  becase  you  give  them  to  me — an'  not  becase 
I'm  young  an'  purty  like  ye  are  yersilf !  Human 
bein's,"  she  continued,  as  if  she  were  addressing 
a  young  and  inexperienced  child,  "are  like  the 
green  leaves  on  the  trees  when  they  are  young 
an'  full  of  life,  and  thin,  they  love  to  talk  an' 
almost  always  wan  green  leaf,  that  is  jist  as  green 


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as  annythin'  can  iver  be,  kapes  whisperin'  to  an- 
ither  green  leaf,  soft  and  low,  so  that  a  rustlin' 
sound  is  heard  all  through  the  tree.  .  .  .  And 
thin,"  she  went  on,  starting  as  if  aroused  from 
sleep,  ''whin  they  are  auld  they're  like  the  leaves 
agin,  whin  they're  dried  up  an'  withered  an',  wid 
their  voices  sharp  and  raspin',  fall  screechin'  to 
the  ground." 

"If  one  must  screech  in  order  to  be  old,"  Bet- 
tina  said  affectionately  patting  the  shoulder  on 
which  her  hand  still  lightly  rested,  '  *  then  you  are 
very  young — for  your  voice  now  is  just  as  sweet, 
it  seems  to  me,  as  when  I  was  yet  a  very  little 
child.  You  used  to  sit  beside  my  bed  and  sing  to 
me  until  I  went  to  sleep. ' ' 

"An'  that  was  not  so  very  long  ago,  me  dar- 
lin'!"  cried  old  Margaret.  "Ye  are  but  twinty 
now!  An'  so  it  is  wid  youth!"  she  moralized, 
"twinty  years,  lookin'  backward  or  forward, 
seems  a  turrible  long  ways,  thin.  But  whin  a  body 
has  got  to  the  top  of  the  hill  and  is  goin'  down 
the  other  side  of  it,  knowin'  that  she'll  soon  get 
to  the  bottom  and  quit  goin'  altogither,  twinty 
years.  .  .  ." 

"Margaret,  dear,"  interrupted  the  girl,  to 
whom  the  future,  without  the  devoted  companion 
ship  that  had  been,  up  to  that  moment,  a  part  of 
her  daily  life,  was  distasteful,  "you  promised  to 
tell  me  sometime  after  I  had  grown  up,  about 
Biddy  Malone  and  the  banshee  who  called  to  her 
when  she  was  crossing  the  moor." 

1 '  Biddy  Malone, ' '  began  the  old  woman,  taking 
up  with  alacrity  her  favorite  occupation,  "lived 
all  alone  wid  her  uncle,  Father  0 'Flaherty.  She 
was  a  purty  girrhl,  wid  big  blue  eyes,  light,  curlin' 
hair,  pink  cheeks  and  a  plump  figure;  she  had 
more  thin  wan  lover,  but  the  wan  among  thim 


14  GROUNDED 

all  she  cared  for  most  hersilf  was  Mike  O'Toole. 
And  he  was  jist  the  wan  the  priest  her  uncle  cared 
for  least;  she  knew  that  this  was  so  and  yit  if 
annythin'  the  knowin'  of  it  added  to  her  love  for 
Mike.  She  had  to  go  across  the  moor  ivry  night, 
afhter  dark,  to  get  the  cow  belongin'  to  the  priest. 
Wan  night  as  she  was  hurryin'  the  cow  along  as 
fast  as  iver  she  could  make  her  go,  she  heard  the 
banshee  callin',  as  plain  as  iver  any  call  could  be — 
'Mike!  Mike!  Mike  O'Toole !'  Three  times  she 
heard  this  call  and  ivry  time,  it  seemed  to  her, 
the  call  was  jist  a  little  deeper  and  more  solemn- 
like  than  the  time  before.  She  knew  thin  that  she 
would  never  dare  to  marry  Mike,  for,"  old  Mar 
garet  ended  seriously,  fully  believing  the  state 
ment  she  was  about  to  make, ' '  if  the  banshee  calls 
the  name  of  anny  man  three  times  over,  to  anny 
woman,  it  means  that  that  wan  woman  must  not 
marry  that  wan  man.  An'  she  had  heard  the 
banshee  callin',  'Mike!  Mike!  Mike  O'Toole!' 
three  times,  in  that  wan  night.  She  left  the  cow 
behind  her  and  ran  with  all  her  might,  and  not 
until  she  had  knelt  down  beside  her  bed  and 
counted  over,  manny  times,  the  beads  upon  her 
rosary  did  she  feel  safe — for  when  the  banshee 
calls  the  name  of  anny  man  to  anny  woman  it 
means  that  she's  in  danger. 

She  heard  a  noise,  as  if  a  door  had  opened  and 
been  shut,  an '  whin  her  uncle,  Father  0  'Flaherty, 
had  come  into  the  kitchen  and  was  sittin'  down 
beside  the  table  there,  as  he  did  most  ivry  night, 
she  wint  to  him  and  crossed  hersilf  an'  told  him 
what  had  happened.  He  was  a  little  out  of  breath, 
but  he  said  that  he  had  heard  the  cow  come  in 
alone  and  had  gone  out  to  tie  her  up.  He  listened 
close  to  Biddy's  story,  an'  whin  she  had  complated 
it  he  told  her  he  supposed  she  knew  what  the 


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banshee's  callin'  meant.  An'  whin  she  cried  an' 
said  she  did,  he  crossed  himsilf  and  looked  at  her 
severely;  thin  he  told  her  niver  to  so  much  as 
mention  the  name  of  Mike  O'Toole  to  him  again. 
An'  whin  she  sadly  shook  her  head  he  blessed  her, 
and  told  her  to  say  her  prayers  all  over  careful, 
an'  thin  to  go  to  bed.  An'  afther  that  Biddy 
Malone,"  Margaret  told  her  auditor  solemnly, 
' '  niver  heard  the  banshee  call  any  more — although 
she  wint  as  usual  to  get  the  cow  belongin'  to  the 
priest,  and  bring  her  home  across  the  moor. 

*  *  Niver  do  you  fail,  Miss  darlin ', ' '  looking  fear 
fully  around, '  *  to  heed  the  warnin ' — if  the  banshee 
calls  to  you!" 

At  that  moment  a  sudden  sound  was  heard  that, 
although  startling,  was  also  reassuring ;  old  Mar 
garet  clutched  Bettina's  arm  and  clung  to  it  in 
terror,  but  the  girl  laughed  joyfully  and  called: 

' '  Here,  Bonny,  here !  This  way ! "  as  a  shaggy, 
golden  collie  came  bounding  up  to  her.  "Where 
have  you  been?  How  did  you  happen  to  miss 
coming  with  me  this  morning?  I  know  what  her 
cry  means,"  turning  toward  her  old  nurse  who, 
having  recovered  from  her  momentary  fright,  was 
again  in  a  normal  mental  attitude.  l '  I  know  that 
she  is  saying  that  she  loves  us  both,"  for  the  dog 
was  dividing  her  attention  between  the  two,  * '  and 
would  defend  us  against  anything  that  would  at 
tempt  to  do  us  harm. ' ' 

The  old  woman  shook  her  head  dubiously  and 
did  not  release  her  hold  upon  Bettina's  arm,  al 
though  a  look  of  almost  bovine  contentment  crept 
over  her  face  as  she  regarded  the  dog  who  now 
walked  sedately  and  proudly  beside  them. 

"If  it  was  meant  for  us  to  hear  the  banshee 
crying"  she  declared,  "not  annything  in  all  this 
world  could  shut  the  sound  from  us." 


16  GROUNDED 

" Don't  worry  Margaret,  dear,"  the  young  girl 
said,  "we're  happy,  here  together,  with  the  sky 
and  the  sunshine  and  the  flowers  and, ' '  she  ended, 
crouching  down  upon  the  ground  beside  the  dog 
and  hugging  her  enthusiastically,  l '  with  Bonny ! ' ' 

"I  think  we'd  be  happier  yit,"  old  Margaret 
murmured,  a  trace  of  bitterness  creeping  into  her 
low  tones,  "if  someone  else  shud  take  the  place 
that  that  spalpeen  Barney  McCoy's  so  glad  to 
fill." 

Amusement  she  tried  hard  to  suppress  began 
to.  spread  itself  across  Bettina's  countenance,  as 
she  hid  it  in  Bonny 's  soft  and  golden  fleece. 


II 

When  Bettina  Wane  and  old  Margaret  0  'Keef e 
returned  home  from  their  morning's  jaunt,  the 
girl  repaired  at  once  to  the  library,  where  her 
tutor  Barney  McCoy  awaited  her. 

In  acordance  with  a  custom  so  regular  that  it 
had  become  almost  a,  habit,  the  tutor  began  to 
instruct  the  moment  his  pupil  appeared: 

1 '  I  wonder  if  you  have  forgotten,  Miss  Bettina, 
"was  his  greeting,  in  a  tone  that  was  so  lofty  it 
•was  almost  condescending,  ''certain  facts  concern 
ing  English  history  that  I  endeavored  to  impress 
upon  your  understanding  yesterday?  A  very  im 
portant  part  of  your  education,  my  dear  young 
lady,  is  to  become  familiar  with  the  past  in  order 
to  be  through  comparison  and  contrast,  more  fully 
equipped  to  meet  the  future.  You  see  in  me  the 
results  that  may  be  obtained  through  close  appli 
cation  to  study  and  research;  had  I  neglected,  as 
I  sometimes  fear  that  you  are  doing,  the  oppor 
tunities  for  mental  advancement  that  were  offered 
to  me,  I  might  have  been,  instead  of  what  I  am," 
drawing  his  squatty,  awkward  figure  up  to  its 
very  average  height,  and  puffing  out  his  cheeks  so 
that  his  florid  countenance  looked  even  broader 
than  it  had  before, ' '  as  ignorant  and  uninteresting 
a  person  as  the  old  woman  who,  I  presume,  at 
tended  you  on  the  walk  from  which  you  have  just 
returned.  This  person, ' '  he  went  on  with  increas 
ing  scorn,  "is  as  far  removed  from  me  intellec 
tually  as  the  Hottentot  from  the  Greek;  she  is  at 
one  end  of  the  scale  of  humanity,  I  at  the  other. 
Why  a  being  with  such  pronounced  physical  char- 

17 


18  GROUNDED 

acteristics  as  hers  should  be  associated  even  re 
motely  with  one  of  my  mental  attainments  is  a 
problem  quite  beyond  my  comprehension." 

Bettina,  with  flushed  face  and  exceedingly 
bright  eyes,  was  about  to  reply  to  this  tirade 
when  suddenly  the  door  of  the  library  was  thrown 
open,  and  an  angry,  flaming  face  was  thrust  into 
the  room : 

"I  know  who  you  mane,  you  insiniwatin' 
sneak!"  the  owner  of  the  face  fairly  screamed. 
"If  it  wasn't  that  my  dear  young  Miss  here  is 
bechune  us,"  for  the  girl  had  advanced  to  the 
position  referred  to,  as  if  from  instinct,  "I'd  let 
you  know  whether  I'm  a  Hottentot  or  not!"  she 
stood  before  him  with  arms  akimbo  and  sleeves 
rolled  up,  and  glared  at  him.  "I've  half  a  mind 
to  let  some  of  the  blood  out  of  that  red  nose  of 
yours ! ' '  she  went  on,  shaking  her  fist  so  near  to 
the  object  she  had  just  mentioned  that  the  owner 
of  it  recoiled  and  covered  it  with  his  hand.  "I 
couldn't  spile  yer  beuty  fer  ye,"  she  ended,  em 
phatically,  "because  ye  niver  had  anny  to  spile! 
But  I  could,  maybe,"  she  added,  as  if  from  an 
after-thought,  advancing  again  belligerently,  "fix 
that  lyin'  mouth  of  yours  so  that  it  wouldn't  be 
so  quick  in  speakin'  slanderous  behind  a  lady's 
back!" 

What  the  result  of  this  encounter  might  have 
been  had  it  been  allowed  to  proceed  without  inter 
ruption  cannot  now  be  determined,  for  just  as 
Bettina  had  stepped  forward  and  stretched  out 
her  hands,  with  a  view  to  placing  a  greater  dis 
tance  between  the  two  bitter  enemies,  a  confident, 
steady  step  was  heard  in  the  hall  and  a  calm, 
dignified  gentleman  was  standing  in  the  open 
door  of  the  library.  Instantly  a  hush  fell  upon 
all  within  the  room,  and  the  actors  in  the  little 


GROUNDED  19 

domestic  drama  stopped  as  if  suddenly  petrified: 

' '  What,  may  I  ask, ' '  demanded  Mr.  Wane  coolly 
but  searchingly,  "is  the  meaning  of  the  disturb 
ance,  the  noise  of  which  has  drifted  across  the 
hall  and  into  my  study! ' '  He  waited  but  as  no  one 
seemed  inclined  to  enlighten  him  he  went  on, 
"Unseemly  wrangling  cannot  but  interfere  with 
the  pursuit  of  my  daughter's  studies,"  fixing  his 
gaze  severely  upon  the  other  man,  who  cringed 
beneath  it  so  that  old  Margaret  breathed  a  sigh 
of  relief  and  relaxed  to  some  extent  the  stiffness 
of  her  mien,  but  bridled  again  as  Mr.  Wane 
directly  addressed  her,  "It  seems  to  me  that  my 
daughter's  personal  attendant  might  be  more 
profitably  employed  than  to  be  engaged  in  per 
sonal  disputes." 

Old  Margaret  acknowledged  the  justice  of  the 
reproof  that  had  been  administered  to  her  by 
going  slowly  and  shamefacedly  from  the  room, 
bowing  low  to  the  master  of  the  house  and  looking 
up  at  him  pleadingly  as  she  passed.  The  tutor 
began  all  at  once  to  sort,  arrange  and  carefully 
examine  the  books  and  papers  that  were  scattered 
on  his  desk.  Having  thus  restored  to  the  place 
its  accustomed  air  of  orderly  quietude  Mr.  Wane, 
with  scarcely  a  glance  at  the  girl,  who  had  been  a 
silent  but  deeply  interested  spectator  of  all  that 
had  occurred,  left  the  room,  as  if  preoccupied  and 
anxious  to  resume  what  had  been  interrupted. 

Left  alone  with  her  tutor,  Bettina  stood  beside 
his  desk,  as  she  said: 

"If  education  does  not  make  one  kinder  and 
more  considerate,  of  what  benefit  is  it  to  the 
world?" 

Barney  McCoy  looked  up,  and  it  could  be  seen 
that  for  the  moment  he  was  sorely  puzzled.  But 
presently,  as  if  secretly  recuperated,  the  look  of 


20  GROUNDED 

self-esteem  and  self-assurance  that  was  his  habitu 
al  expression  appeared  again  upon  his  counte 
nance. 

"My  dear  young  lady,  there  are  many  matters 
that  are  as  yet  quite  beyond  the  scope  of  your 
intelligence;  only  after  years  of  diligent  study 
could  you  grasp  the  abstruse  meaning  that  is  at 
tached  to  what  may  now  seem  vague  and  strange. ' ' 

Having  thus,  as  he  supposed,  switched  his  pupil 
from  the  line  of  thought  upon  which  she  had 
started  out,  the  tutor  returned  to  the  profound 
contemplation  of  the  book  that  happened  to  open 
under  his  hand,  although  he  had  not  previously 
been  considering  the  words  spread  out  upon  its 
pages.  In  this  instance,  as  in  many  others,  he  had 
not  accurately  gauged  the  mind  of  his  pupil. 

"Does  not  education  broaden  and  elevate  those 
who  enjoy  its  advantages!"  she  asked,  looking 
earnestly  and  inquiringly  at  him.  ' '  Does  not  asso 
ciation  with  great  minds,  represented  by  their 
thoughts  as  they  have  been  recorded,  tend  to  pol 
ish  and  refine  the  feelings,  as  well  as  the  under 
standing!" 

She  waited  for  quite  a  perceptible  time,  listen 
ing  to  the  rustling  of  the  pages  that  her  teacher 
rapidly  turned  as  if  in  search  of  the  answers  to 
her  questions.  At  length,  having  as  it  seemed 
found  the  clue  that  had  been  eluding  him,  he  closed 
the  book  arid  laid  it  carefully  down  among  the 
others  on  his  desk;  then  rising  to  his  feet  and 
pushing  the  chair  that  he  had  been  occupying  into 
the  open  space  beneath  his  desk,  he  took  up  a 
position  in  the  exact  centre  of  the  room,  and 
grasping  firmly  the  sharply  pointed,  fiery  beard 
that  adorned  the  middle  of  his  chin — as  if  to  forti 
fy  himself  against  possible  contingencies  he  took 


GROUNDED  21 

up  the  cudgel  of  conversation  that  he  had  so  often 
wielded  with  telling  effect. 

"As  an  intellect  advances,  my  dear  young 
lady,"  bowing  politely  to,  and  at  the  same  time 
looking  grandiloquently  upon  Bettina,  whose  calm, 
interrogative  gaze  faced  him,  "along  the  wide, 
smooth  road  that  leads  to  knowledge,  there  are 
many  by-ways  and  hedges  into  which  undirected 
it  is  apt  to  stray;  it  is  the  work,  often  sadly  un 
appreciated,"  sighing  and  casting  down  the  direc 
tion  of  his  eyes  as  if  he  had  received  a  blow,  "of 
the  pedagogue,  to  guide  the  young  and  inexperi 
enced  minds  of  those  who  come  beneath  his  care 
into  safe  and  sheltered  paths  where  they  may  find 
ample,  wholesome  food  for  thought  to  feed  upon, 
and  where  they  will  be  guarded  from  many  dan 
gers  to  which  they  would  be  exposed  should  they 
fare  forth  alone.  It  has  been  my  privilege,  my 
young  friend,  "with  a  retrospective  smile,  and  as 
if  he  felt  more  sure  of  the  ground  beneath  his  feet, 
"to  introduce  you  to  many  of  those  who,  through 
their  superior  intelligence,  have  controlled  and 
directed  the  masses  of  humanity.  In  order  to 
accomplish  this  it  has  been  necessary  for  me,"  his 
cheeks  began  to  puff  out,  and  his  color  to  heighten, 
"to  insist  upon  your  obedience  to  certain  funda 
mental  laws  that  naturally  you,  being  almost  en 
tirely  without  training  before  your  acquaintance 
with  me,"  he  let  go  of  his  beard  then,  "could  not 
completely  understand.  Of  late  it  seems  that  you 
have  broken  through  the  conventional  wall  that  I 
for  your  own  good  have  built  up  around  you ;  and 
it  must  be  my  pleasant  task,"  he  went  on,  rubbing 
his  hands  complacently  together,  "to  repair  this 
breach  made  no  doubt  unintentionally  and  through 
ignorance  of  probable  consequences." 

By  the  time  he  had  concluded  these  remarks  he 


22  GROUNDED 

was  again  seated  in  the  chair  before  his  desk, 
leaning  back,  and  looking  about  the  spacious  room 
with  its  tiers  of  well-filled  bookshelves,  as  if  his 
customary  self-esteem  and  most  superlative  self- 
assurance  had  been  completely  restored  to  him. 
He  had  not  taken  the  trouble  to  watch  very  closely 
the  effect  of  his  words  upon  his  auditor,  being 
firmly  convinced  of  their  weight  and  of  the  power 
of  his  own  delivery.  Now  however  he  included  his 
pupil  in  his  general  survey  of  the  contents  of  the 
library,  and  was  surprised  to  discover  upon  her 
expressive  countenance  what  he  chose  to  consider 
as  being  stubborn  resistance  to  necessary  guid 
ance.  Under  the  influence  of  this  astonishing  dis 
covery  he  brought  the  legs  of  his  chair  down  upon 
the  floor,  and  his  doubled-up  fist  down  upon  his 
desk. 

"We  must  stick  to  old,  established  ideas,  and 
acknowledged  precepts  and  principles !  We  must 
refuse  to  allow  extraneous  circumstances  to  in 
terfere  with  our  studies ! ' ' 


HI 

Bettina  Wane  was  seldom  as  happy  as  when, 
secure  from  interruption,  she  was  alone  with  the 
books  that  she  loved.  They  seemed  to  her  to  be 
living  entities,  as  if  their  authors  were  really 
speaking  directly  to  her ;  she  was  contented  when 
she  was  enjoying  their  society,  and  she  regarded 
them  as  her  personal  friends.  She  had  her  fav 
orites  among  them,  but  she  was  an  omnivorous 
reader  and  there  were  few  well-known  English 
authors  with  whose  work  she  was  not  familiar. 
There  were  no  restrictions  placed  upon  her  choice 
among  the  many  books  she  found  in  her  father's 
well-stocked  library,  unless  Barney  McCoy's  pro 
nounced  prejudices  for  or  against  certain  authors 
would  be  considered  to  be  so,  and  the  girl  therefore 
wandered  hither  and  yon,  sometimes  to  far-distant 
lands,  sometimes  near  at  hand,  according  to  the 
book  she  was  perusing.  In  imagination  these 
journeys  into  the  unknown  were  very  real  to  her, 
and  she  joyed  and  suffered  with  the  heroes  and 
heroines  with  whom  she  became  acquainted 
through  the  medium  of  the  pictures  that  masters 
in"  the  art  of  word-painting  had  left  upon  their 
pages.  Desdemona  seemed  to  her  just  as  real  a 
woman  as  old  Margaret  O'Keefe  herself,  and 
Romeo,  although  so  different  in  every  possible 
particular,  was  to  the  girl  as  much  an  individual 
as  the  opinionated  and  vainglorious  Barney  Mc 
Coy.  She  secretly  enjoyed  thinking  of  certain 
human  beings  as  if  they  bore  the  names  that  had 
been  given  by  some  of  her  favorite  authors  to  their 
characters;  because,  as  it  seemed  to  her,  they 

23 


24  GROUNDED 

shared  the  same  distinguishing  features.  She  in 
variably  thought  of  her  father  as  Ivanhoe  and 
there  were  times  when  her  dear  old  Margaret 
seemed  to  her  the  exact  replica  of  Sairy  Gamp; 
she  often  in  imagination  placed  Barney  McCoy  in 
a  position  similar  to  that  occupied  by  the  fiendish 
schoolmaster  Squeers,  feeling  that  under  the  same 
conditions  her  tutor  would  have  displayed  the 
same  characteristics.  In  common  with  the  ma 
jority  of  ambitious  young  women,  she  had  many 
dreams  as  to  her  possible  future. 

In  order  to  secure  the  privacy  she  coveted  it 
was  often  necessary  for  her  to  resort  to  diplo 
matic  measures.  To  begin  with  old  Margaret 
O'Keefe's  garrulous  tongue,  with  its  almost  cease 
less  manipulation  of  the  words  at  its  command, 
had  to  be  arranged  for  and  properly  attended  to ; 
there  was  no  way  which  the  girl  could  really  muz 
zle  the  old  woman  even  had  she  been  so  minded, 
for  at  all  times  and  in  all  places  she  would  blunder 
boldly  on,  utterly  unmindful  of  delicate  hints  as 
well  as  sensitive  nerves.  But  Bettina  had  learned 
that  certain  methods  intelligently  employed  had 
a  tendency  to  reduce  and  to  some  extent  control 
the  activities  of  her  dependent  but  officious  care 
taker.  For  instance,  she  was  reasonably  certain 
that  soon  after  a  hearty  meal,  under  appropriate 
ly  peaceful  conditions,  old  Margaret  would  drift, 
with  more  or  less  rapidity  and  precision,  into 
voiceless  although  not  silent  slumber.  Having 
disposed  of  one  obstacle  she  next  had  to  devise 
ways  and  means  through  which  her  tutor's  mani 
fold  energies  would  be  removed  from  her  imme 
diate  vicinity.  Barney  McCoy  was,  according  to 
his  statement,  a  man  of  vast  resource  and  almost 
unlimited  talents.  Among  the  latter  he  claimed 
that  there  was  no  one  in  England,  or  for  that  mat- 


GROUNDED  25 

ter  anywhere  in  the  British  Empire,  not  except 
ing  Canada,  India,  or  any  of  the  far-away  posses 
sions  who  could,  single-handed  and  alone,  out 
distance,  or  even  come  up  with  himself  in  a 
straight,  free-for-all,  unhandicapped  walk.  Hence 
Bettina  had  only  to  shrewdly  and  apparently  un 
intentionally  mention  that  she  had  somewhere 
read  an  account  of  what  to  her  seemed  an  almost 
impossible  feat,  that  a  certain  person  had  covered 
a  given  number  of  miles  in  a  given  time,  always 
not  beyond  the  range  of  probability.  Having  thus 
cleared  the  decks  of  her  little  boat  for  action,  she 
would  proceed  to  sail  over  calm  and  congenial 
waters,  into  what  to  her  was  the  harbor  of  con 
tentment.  There  she  happily  and  dreamily 
dropped  anchor,  and  rode  at  ease  upon  the  still 
and  placid  surface  of  an  element  that  was  har 
monious  and  satisfying. 

One  afternoon,  having  secured  through  her  wits 
and  considerable  expert  manoeuvring  a  few  hours 
that  she  could  spend  in  uninterrupted  indulgence 
of  her  own  personal  taste,  she  was  ensconced  in 
her  favorite  position  upon  the  couch,  in  one  cor 
ner  of  the  quiet  library,  when  she  heard  a  quick, 
light,  decisive  footstep  approaching  the  door  that 
she  had  carefully  closed.  It  did  not  sound  like 
her  father's  step  and  so  far  as  she  knew  there  was 
no  one  else  in  the  house  who  would  be  likely  to 
enter  the  library  at  that  hour  of  the  day.  She 
leaned  forward  and  listened  eagerly — wide,  blue 
eyes,  pink  cheeks  and  parted  lips  although  she 
seemed  altogether  unaware  of  the  fact,  partially 
because  her  attention  had  been  almost  entirely  ab 
sorbed  by  the  consideration  of  objects  other  than 
herself,  the  girl — in  the  midst  of  comparatively 
isolated  but  perfectly  normal  and  natural  sur 
roundings — had  grown  to  be  a  very  beautiful  and 


26  GROUNDED 

attractive  young  woman.  And  as  she  rested  there, 
half -rising,  with  the  toe  of  one  shapely  shoe  upon 
the  floor,  and  one  hand  supporting  the  weight  of 
her  slim  body  upon  the  couch,  she  looked  in  the 
dim,  suffused  light  of  the  shut-in  room  like  a  frag 
rant  tropical  flower,  or  a  bird  of  brilliant  plum 
age  poised  for  flight. 

And  thus  it  was  that  Kurk  Kaleen,  for  the  first 
time,  beheld  her. 

Startled  to  instant  action,  blushing  with  sur 
prise  that  bordered  on  fright,  she  rose  to  her  feet 
when  the  door  was  softly  opened,  and  saw  a  hand 
some,  dark  and  smiling  face  such  as  her  eyes  had 
never  really  seen  before,  although  her  keen  im 
agination  had  many  times  presented  to  her  inner 
consciousness  a  countenance  that  was  as  vibrant 
with  strong  and  manly  beauty  as  the  one  she  saw 
in  that  half-opened  door. 

"I  presume  you  are  Miss  Bettina  Wane,  "the 
young  man  said,  advancing  with  assurance  and 
yet  gallant  deference  until  he  stood  beside  her 
with  extended  hand.  "Your  father  said  he 
thought  that  I  should  find  you  here. ' ' 

"Yes,"  the  girl  assented,  allowing  her  own 
hand  to  rest  in  his  for  a  few  short  seconds,  "and 
you,  I  suppose,  are  Mr.  Kaleen.  For  my  father," 
she  explained,  "has  told  me  that  he  was  expect 
ing  you  to  visit  him.  You  will  find  us,  I  am  afraid, ' ' 
she  went  on  diffidently, ' '  very  dull  and  quiet.  We 
have  no  near  neighbors  and  very  few  amusements, 
at  least,"  she  ended,  smiling,  as  if  from  some 
sudden  recollection,  "such  as  would  be  apt  to  in 
terest  you." 

"I  believe  that  I,"  the  visitor  began,  daringly 
yet  deferentially  allowing  his  earnest  gaze  to 
linger  on  her  fair,  flushed  face,  "in  spite  of  what 


GROUNDED  27 

you  have  just  said,  will  not  find  the  time  I  spend 
here  hanging  heavily  on  my  hands." 

"Of  course,"  the  girl  admitted  proudly,  "my 
father  is  most  interesting,  in  every  way,  our  home 
is  very  comfortable  and  the  country  hereabouts  is 
very  beautiful  or  so  it  seems  to  me,"  qualifying 
her  last  statement  modestly.  "But  I,"  she  con 
cluded,  ' '  have  never  been  away  from  home  so  per 
haps  my  judgment  may  be  biased." 

"I  am  sure,"  said  Kurk  Kaleen,  his  gaze  still 
lingering  on  her  face,  "that  it  is  very  beautiful 
indeed.  I  do  not  think, ' '  his  soft,  caressing  tones 
were  full  of  music, i '  that  I  have  ever  seen  a  fairer 
or  a  more  alluring  one  than  what  it  has  been  my 
privilege  to  see  of  it  since  I  came  here. ' ' 


IV 

Bettina  Wane  had  never  in  all  her  life  been  hap 
pier  or  more  carefree  than  she  was  on  the  after 
noon  that  Kurk  Kaleen  discovered  her.  Before 
that  memorable  day,  for  such  it  was  in  very  many 
ways,  her  individuality  had  lived  and  moved, 
hoped  and  feared,  in  a  world  made  up  of  dreams, 
peopled  by  imaginary  beings  who  were  to  her 
beloved  companions  and  understanding  friends. 
She  had  been  in  the  society  of  only  her  own  peo 
ple  when,  with  the  full  approval  of  her  natural 
guardian  the  current  of  her  daily  life  was 
changed.  For  on  that  day  a  pronounced  and  per 
sistent  personality,  skilled  in  the  expert  handling 
of  all  the  gifts  and  graces,  endowed  by  nature  with 
a  quick  intellect  and  a  handsome  face  and  form, 
familiar  with  all  the  avenues  through  which  the 
heart  of  woman  may  be  approached  and  at  the 
same  time  possessing  in  a  marked  degree  the  in 
nate  cruelty  that  makes  the  hunter  ruthless,  ob 
truded  itself  upon  her  horizon. 

The  attitude  of  the  girl  toward  all  of  the  mem 
bers  of  her  family  except  one  was  from  that  time 
greatly  changed.  Urged  on  by  some  force  of  winch 
she  was  entirely  ignorant,  she  confidingly  and  in 
tuitively  related  to  the  young  man  during  the  first 
few  hours  of  her  acquaintance  with  him  many  lit 
tle  incidents  revealing  the  characteristic  peculiar 
ities  of  all  with  whom  she  was  closely  associated. 
She  told  him  how  she  had  obtained  the  privacy 
in  which  he  had  found  her  and  he,  fully  under 
standing,  laughed  boyishly  when  she  recounted 

28 


GROUNDED  29 

Barney  McCoy's  egotistic  efforts  to  prove  himself 
champion  walker  of  the  British  Empire.  He  also 
apparently  shared  with  her  an  affectionate  desire 
to  secure  the  absence  yet  humor  the  whims  of  old 
Margaret  O'Keefe;  so  far  as  she  was  able  to  de 
termine  he  as  well  as  herself  greatly  admired,  and 
somewhat  feared,  her  father's  dignified  and  com 
manding  presence.  The  one  exception  to  the  sym 
pathetic  understanding  that  was  established  be 
tween  these  two  almost  at  once  had  to  do  with  the 
intelligent  creature  who  had  been  from  her  roly- 
poly  puppy-hood,  the  unselfish  and  admiring  com 
panion  of  Bettina.  That  afternoon  the  dog 
scratched  carefully  and  barked  inquiringly  at  the 
half -open  door  of  the  library  and  as  Bonny  came 
bounding  in  Bettina  felt  a  change.  The  dog  went 
immediately  to  her  mistress  and  laid  a  long,  slim 
muzzle  across  her  knees,  while  her  great  brown 
eyes,  full  of  insistent  adoration  and  unlimited  con 
fidence,  looked  up  into  the  face  upon  which  she  had 
never  seen  an  expression  of  stronger  disapproval 
than  that  of  affectionate  toleration.  The  girl 
looked  down  upon  the  golden  head  that  rested  on 
her  lap;  her  hand  strayed  caressingly  over  the 
cool,  keen  nose,  between  the  beautiful,  animated 
eyes,  until  it  reached  the  sharp-pointed,  slightly- 
raised,  sensitive  ears,  where  it  lingered;  then  she 
glanced  up,  intending  to  introduce  her  pet  to  her 
new  acquaintance,  expecting  that  he  would  share 
with  her  in  this,  as  he  had  in  others,  her  strong 
and  habitual  feeling.  But  the  expression  that  she 
surprised  upon  his  easily  altered  features  was  so 
lacking  in  sympathy  that  it  amounted  almost  to 
hostility;  disappointed  and  undeniably  displeased 
in  this  particular,  for  she  realized  that  she  some 
how  was  being  placed  on  the  defensive,  she  allowed 
her  hand  to  creep  down  over  Bonny 's  neck  so  that 


30  GROUNDED 

it  drew  her  pet  still  nearer  to  her;  then,  having 
invited  the  collie  to  take  the  place  upon  the  couch 
beside  herself,  she  hugged  and  patted  her  while 
she  looked  almost  defiantly  into  the  dark  and 
handsome  face  from  which  a  belligerent  expres 
sion  was  just  vanishing. 

As  if  reminded  of, ' i  Love  me,  love  my  dog, ' '  the 
young  man  leaned  forward  ingratiatingly  and 
stretched  out  one  of  his  strong,  supple  hands,  evi 
dently  intending  to  smooth  Bonny 's  long,  soft  fur. 
The  girl  would  have  welcomed  these  friendly  ad 
vances,  being  pleased  to  have  her  pet  appreciated, 
but  the  dog  saw  through  the  thin,  polite  veneer 
that  Kurk  Kaleen  had  quickly  spread  above  his 
powerful  aversion  to  her,  and  not  only  drew  her 
self  away  from  contact  with  his  hand,  but  snug 
gled  up  close  to  her  mistress  and  looked  at  her 
protectingly.  As  the  man  persistently  kept  get 
ting  just  a  little  nearer  to  them  both,  the  gentle 
creature  bared  her  teeth,  and  came  as  near  to 
growling  as  she  had  ever  allowed  herself  to  do. 

Bettina  was  amazed  and  just  a  little  alarmed  at 
this  strange  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  collie,  but 
what  she  saw  in  her  dog's  tender  eyes  only  made 
her  more  assured  than  ever  of  Bonny 's  unswerv 
ing  and  affectionate  devotion  to  herself. 

"Perhaps  when  Bonny  gets  to  know  you  well 
you  two  will  be  great  friends."  Her  face  was 
flushed  and  anxious.  "She  is  not  used  to  seeing 
strangers,"  apologetically,  "and  I  presume  she 
was  surprised  to  find  that  you  were  here. ' ' 

"Someone  else  is  about  to  be  surprised,"  de 
clared  the  young  man  joyfully,  as  if  well  pleased 
at  the  prospect  of  a  change  in  the  subject  to  be 
discussed.  "I  think  I  hear  a  woman's  step." 

Shuffling  sleepily  into  the  room  and  up  to  the 


GROUNDED  31 

couch  that  with  its  occupants  directly  faced  the 
door,  old  Margaret  volubly  began : 

"If  iver  I  drop  aslape,  Miss,  darlin',"  as  if  it 
were  a  most  unusual , happening,  "I'm  purty  sure 
to  find  you  here  whin  I  wake  up.  I  Ve  had  a  most 
distressin'  drame.  .  .  ."  which  she  was  evi 
dently  about  to  relate  when  she  suddenly  realized 
that  they  were  not  alone  and,  without  waiting 
for  an  introduction  but  directly  addressing  the 
visitor,  she  continued,  "It  do  be  seemin'  quare  to 
me,  young  sir,  but,"  stepping  a  little  nearer  to 
him  in  order  evidently  to  more  closely  examine 
his  features,  "if  that  little  brown  mole  on  your 
left  cheek, ' '  Kurk  Kaleen  hastily  pressed  a  finger 
against  the  cheek  referred  to,  "was  only  jist  a 
little  higher  up,  an'  'twas  yer  left  eyelid  instead 
of  bein'  the  right  wan,  that  droops  down,"  both 
of  his  eyes  became  at  once  very  wide  open,  "ye 
wud  look  enough  like  Patrick  McGranahan's  nixt 
to  the  oldest  b'y  to  be  his  own  blood-brother." 

Bettina,  much  embarrassed  for  the  lack  of  cour 
tesy  just  shown  her  father's  guest,  stepped  for 
ward  and  placing  one  hand  on  the  arm  of  her  old 
nurse  was  about  to  formally  present  her  when  she 
was  interrupted  in  an  explosive  but  not  altogether 
unexpected  manner. 

"My  dear  young  lady,"  announced  Barney 
McCoy,  unmindful  of  everything  except  the  pres 
ence  of  his  pupil,  "you  see  before  you  one  who 
has  not  only  equaled — but  even  excelled  the  feat 
concerning  the  accomplishment  of  which  you  were 
so  much  astonished." 


Kurk  Kaleen's  father  and  Walter  Wane  had 
been  companions  in  their  boyhood,  and  had  all 
through  their  lives  continued  the  acquaintance 
begun  when  they  were  children.  The  visit  the 
young  man  was  making  in  the  home  of  his  father 's 
friend  was  in  his  father's  stead,  as  he  had  sent 
the  boy  there  to  attend  to  certain  matters  con 
cerning  which  the  two  older  men  had  been  carry 
ing  on  a  correspondence.  The  work  upon  which 
they  were  engaged,  of  a  clerical  and  reference 
nature,  required  the  entire  attention  of  Bettina's 
father  as  well  as  that  of  his  visitor  during  the 
forenoons,  when  usually  Bettina  herself  was 
either  attending  to  the  domestic  affairs  of  the 
household,  of  which  as  her  father's  daughter  she 
was  general  manager,  or  receiving  the  instruc 
tions  and  listening  to  the  dicta  with  more  or  less 
benefit  of  her  inoffensive  tutor.  After  luncheon, 
when  generally  speaking  the  two  young  people 
would  meet  for  the  first  time  in  the  day,  there 
were  several  comparatively  idle  and  usually  most 
enjoyable  hours. 

After  the  advent  of  a  decidedly  attractive  and 
at  the  same  time  entirely  eligible  young  man,  old 
Margaret  O'Keefe's  officious  interference  and 
perpetual  surveillance  were  more  difficult  to  sup 
press  than  they  had  been  even  before  his  arrival. 
But  Bettina  now  had  an  intelligent  and  very 
capable  assistant  in  the  work  that  she  had  for 
some  time  been  conducting  without  other  aid. 
When  it  became  advisable  to  isolate  the  energies 
of  Barney  McCoy  her  resourceful  and  very  will- 

32 


GROUNDED  33 

ing  helper,  without  urging  or  even  suggestion  on 
her  part,  would  attend  to  the  matter  thoroughly 
and  speedily.  One  day  the  young  man,  bent  upon 
accomplishing  the  object  he  had  in  view,  became 
involved  in  an  argument  that  bade  fair  to  be  too 
lengthy  for  the  purpose  which  was  his  reason  for 
entering  into  it. 

1 '  Well, ' '  he  said,  rising  to  his  feet, ' '  it  may  well 
be,  and  probably  is,  just  as  you  say,  for  I  am  well 
aware  of  the  fact  that  your  experience — in  this 
instance  as  well  as  in  many  others — is  much 
broader  and  has  extended  over  a  considerably 
longer  period  of  years  than  my  own.  However," 
he  ended,  with  a  laudable  desire  to  symmetrically 
complete  the  line  of  thought  upon  which  he  had 
started  out,  "it  seems  to  me  that  in  order  to  con 
clusively  prove  the  truth  of  the  statement  that 
you  have  just  made,  it  might  be  well  for  us  at 
some  time  in  the  future  to  take  this  matter  up 
again. ' ' 

"My  time,"  declared  Barney  McCoy,  "is  not 
only  very  valuable,  but  very  far  from  being  always 
at  my  own  disposal  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
agreement  binding  and  holding  the  parties  there 
to.  Although  at  times,"  looking  patiently  down, 
"I  must  confess  that  it  is  a  very  irksome  duty  to 
devote  my  entire  attention  to  the  intellectual  ad 
vancement  of  one  who  is  often  very  unapprecia- 
tive  who  even  at  times  goes  so  far  as  to  ridicule 
what  should  receive  her  most  profound  considera 
tion.  But  this, ' '  he  interpolated  condescendingly, 
"is  no  doubt  due  to  the  levity  of  youth.  Never 
theless,"  he  ended  kindly,  "she  is  a  good  girl, 
whose  attainments  reflect  great  credit  upon  her 
instructor." 

"My  dear  young  friend,"  went  on  the  speaker 
as  if  from  some  great  height,  "if  at  any  time  in 


34  GROUNDED 

your  future  life  you  should  feel  inclined  to  doubt 
the  wisdom  of  divine  Providence — because  you 
have  been  placed  in  some  certain  position,  or  sur 
rounded  by  any  certain  set  of  circumstances,  or 
compelled  to  be  associated  with  any  certain  set  of 
individuals;  or  forced  to  undergo  any  certain  set 
of  conditions" — making  a  sweeping  gesture  with 
his  one  free  hand,  for  he  was  clinging  closely  to 
his  beard  with  the  other — ''always  remember  it 
has  been  your  privilege  to  meet,  and  to  some  slight 
extent  become  acquainted  with  a  man  who  in  spite 
of  having  acquired  independently  and  without 
assistance  most  stupendous  stores  of  practical 
knowledge  such  as  others,"  his  watery  eyes  had 
taken  on  a  sort  of  glassy  stare,  "have  spent  all 
their  lives  in  laboring  diligently  and  painstaking 
ly,  although  entirely  without  success,  to  attain — 
in  spite  of  having  had  and  fully  taken  advantage 
of  colossal  opportunities  for  mental  development, 
has  adjusted  himself  with  resignation,  even  with 
cheerful  acquiescence,  to  a  mediocre  and  at  times 
almost" — a  stricken,  abused  expression  as  if  he 
had  received  an  undeserved  rebuke  began  to  set 
tle  slowly  over  his  features,  so  that  they  seemed 
to  sag  down  under  the  weight  of  it — ' '  a  menial. ' ' 
His  auditor  up  to  this  point  had  found  no  crev 
ice  in  the  solid  wall  by  which  he  could  hope  to 
extricate  himself  from  the  flow  of  language  in 
which  he  had  been  engulfed.  Just  here,  merci 
fully,  there  was  the  sound  of  a  slight,  swift  scuffle, 
as  if  one  person  were  trying  to  hold  another  one 
back  outside  the  door  of  the  library  where  the 
colloquy  was  taking  place.  Then  the  door  itself 
was  rudely  and  unceremoniously  shaken  as  if  by 
an  angry  hand.  After  that  events  took  place  too 
rapidly  to  admit  of  giving  any  one  of  them  pre 
cedence  over  any  of  the  others.  Old  Margaret 


GROUNDED  35 

appeared,  both  of  the  witnesses  already  in  the 
room  were  sure  of  that,  but  the  identity  of  what 
ever  it  was  that  she  was  dragging  in  with  her  re 
mained  uncertain  for  some  little  time.  This  un 
certainty  was  due  mainly  to  the  fact  that  the  old 
woman  was  gyrating  much  in  the  manner  of  a 
top  and  at  the  same  time  vociferously  demanding 
that  she  be  given  redress  for  some  insult  that,  as 
she  claimed,  she  had  been  subjected  to. 

"Ye  will,  will  ye?"  she  screamed.  "Ye  think 
because  I'm  a  lone  widdy,  widout  a  man  to  lift  a 
fist  f er  me,  ye  can  say  what  ye  plaze ! "  At  this 
juncture,  being  almost  entirely  out  of  breath  by 
reason  of  her  manifold  exertions,  she  paused 
abruptly  and  so  revealed  the  fact  that  the  object 
in  her  clutches  was  a  small,  disheveled,  nonde 
script  yet  human  being  who,  now  that  he  had  a 
chance  to  set  his  feet  upon  the  floor,  tried  to 
straighten  up  and  jerk  himself  away.  But  the  old 
woman  was  not  yet  through  with  him  and  his  re 
sistance  only  added  to  her  wrath.  ' '  No,  indade ! 
Ye '11  not  escape  me  till  I'm  good  and  done  wid 
ye !  Ye  '11  git  down  on  yer  dirthy  knees  here  now 
an'  take  back  ivry  word  ye  iver  said  ferninst  me, 
in  the  prisence  of  this  gintleman,"  indicating 
Kurk  Kaleen  with  one  stubby  finger.  "There! 
Now ! ' '  shoving  her  victim  forcibly  down  until  he 
assumed  the  supplicating  position  she  wished  him 
to  take,  "Go  on,  ye  dirthy-mouthed.  .  .  ." 

But  just  at  that  moment,  Bettina,  anxious,  won 
dering  and  very  beautiful,  came  hastily  into  the 
room. 

"Margaret,  dear,"  she  said  deprecatingly, 
"Margaret,  what  has  happened?" 

Seeing  her  evident  distress  the  old  woman's 
anger  fell  away  from  her  like  a  garment  laid  aside, 
and  she  forcibly  dropped  the  bone  of  contention. 


36  GROUNDED 

"Nothing  at  all,  at  all,  Miss,  darlin',"  she  whis 
pered.  "Nothing  to  bring  a  single  tear  into  the 
bright  blue  eyes  av  ye,  or  to  make  a  single  bit  of 
color  lave  yer  swate  face !  ' ' 


VI 

''I  want  to  ask  you,  Bettina,"  said  Kurk  Kaleen 
one  day  when  for  a  short  time  the  two  young  peo 
ple  happened  to  be  alone,  "if  you  do  not  some 
times  long  to  see  the  world  outside  of  your  own 
home?" 

She  looked  at  him  frankly  and  wonderingly,  and 
after  a  moment's  hesitation  replied:  "I  have  been 
very  happy  and  contented  here.  I  think  perhaps, ' ' 
blushing  and  at  the  same  time  smiling,  "that  I 
should  be  afraid  if  I  went  very  far  away  from 
home. ' ' 

"Do  you  think  that  you  would  be  afraid,"  his 
tones  were  full  of  deep,  repressed  emotions,  "with 
someone  strong  and  capable  and  loving  always  at 
your  side?" 

A  thrilling  consciousness  of  something  that  she 
did  not  understand  yet  felt  the  force  of  caused 
her  pure  young  lips  to  tremble  with  an  unknown 
but  a  most  exquisite  joy,  so  that  she  did  not  find 
it  easy  to  reply.  But  soon  her  inborn  pride  and 
natural  dignity  came  to  her  aid,  and  gazing  earn 
estly  into  the  speaking  dark  eyes  that  were  search- 
ingly  regarding  her,  she  said: 

* '  I  wonder  if  anyone  who  would  be  strong  and 
capable  could  be,  always  loving  too!  That  is,  I 
mean,"  as  if  she  feared  the  statement  she  had 
made  might  seem  too  comprehensive,  "supposing 
that  the  person  who  would  otherwise  be  all  alone 
— and  very  much  afraid — were  just  an  ordinary, 
not  at  all  unusual  human  being — "  Her  eyelids 
drooped  until  her  long,  dark  lashes  brushed  her 
blushing  cheeks  as  falteringly  she  added,  "Of 

37 


38  GROUNDED 

course,  it  would  make  one  feel  very  safe  if  such 
a  thing  could  really  be,  to  have  someone  strong 
and  capable  and  always  loving,  too,  right  beside 
one. ' ' 

11  There  is  someone,"  he  whispered,  drawing 
very  near  to  her  to  say  it  so  that  she  felt  the  mag 
netism  of  his  presence,  "who  has  been  often  called 
both  strong  and  capable,  and  who  is  1  am  certain 
very  loving,"  and  then  his  hand,  gently,  softly, 
reverently,  barely  touched  the  thick  brown  hair 
that  grew  luxuriantly  above  her  smooth  white 
brow,  "who  would  be  always  at  your  side  if  you 
desired  to  have  him  there.  But  if  you  never 
could,  Bettina,"  he  spoke  her  name  caressingly, 
"when  you  have  known  me  long  enough,  learn  to 
love  me,"  sadly,  "still,  I  should  always  love  and 
long  for  you." 

He  stopped  and  allowed  the  words  to  have  their 
full  effect.  The  girl  was  silent,  partly  through 
surprise  and  partly  because  waves  of  powerful 
and  to  her  unimaginable  emotions  were  sweeping 
over  her.  He  watched  her  eagerly,  trying  to  de 
termine  what  effect  the  declaration  of  his  love  had 
had  upon  her;  his  dark  eyes  glowed  like  living 
lamps,  for  in  them  was  the  light  of  passionate 
and  yet  adoring  love.  At  length,  when  her  white 
lids  were  lifted,  he  quietly  compelled  her  eyes  to 
meet  the  light  that  glowed  within  his  own;  her 
sweet  lips  quivered  as  if  they  were  about  to  speak 
the  words  that  trembled  on  her  tongue.  Fearing 
that  they  would  not  be  the  ones  he  wished  to  hear, 
Kurk  Kaleen  suddenly  and  to  himself  most  un 
expectedly  grew  humble  and  appealing. 

"If  you  would  be  my  wife,  Bettina,"  his  rich 
voice  lingering  upon  the  three  short  syllables,  "I 
should  only  live  to  make  you  happy.  All  that  I 
have,  dear  one,  would  be  at  your  command.  I 


GROUNDED  39 

would  withhold  nothing.  Your  wish  would  be  law. 
When  you  will  give  yourself  to  me,"  his  arms 
went  out  to  her  in  unexpressed,  involuntary,  ar 
dent  invitation,  "I  shall  protect  you  always,  I 
shall  shield  you."  He  waited,  and  tenderness  en 
folded  her. 

Bettina  's  blue  eyes  looked  straight  at  him,  then, 
and  in  their  clear  depths  he  saw  surprise,  amaze 
ment,  merging  into  affectionate  and  fervent  ad 
miration  : 

"How  can  you,  who  have  only  known  me  for  a 
few  short  days,  be  certain  that  you  have  for  me, ' ' 
she  spoke  with  quiet  dignity  and  womanly  reserve, 
"the  feelings  that  the  words  you  have  just  used 
would  lead  me  to  suppose?" 

This  was  a  new  experience  for  him ;  the  women 
he  had  known  thus  far  had  not  been  loath  to 
accept  admiration.  The  ground  he  saw  before 
him  was  to  him  entirely  unbroken,  untried,  virgin 
soil,  and  fearing  that  he  might  if  he  went  forward 
make  some  blunder  that  perhaps  would  be  alto 
gether  irretrievable,  he  decided  that  in  this  case 
at  least  discretionary  measures  would  serve  his 
purpose  better  than  to  deal  too  hastily. 

"There  is  no  accounting,"  he  began,  regarding 
her  seriously  and  studiously,  "for  the  birth  or 
even  for  the  rapid  growth  of  sincere  love.  Senti 
ments  that  precede,  accompany  and  lead  up  to  the 
divine  passion  are  so  complicated  and  so  diver 
sified  that  no  satisfactory  explanation  can  be  of 
fered.  What  would  appeal  powerfully  to  one 
person  might  not  in  any  way  affect  another.  Of 
course,"  he  smilingly  compromised,  and  he  had  a 
most  engaging  smile,  "there  are  certain  charac 
teristic  conditions  that  are  almost  absolutely  es 
sential  to  the  continued  existence  of  any  steadfast, 
mutual  love.  The  two  who  love  each  other,"  as 


40  GROUNDED 

he  said  these  words  his  eyes  caressed  her,  "must 
have  mutual  tastes  and  mutual  ambitions;  they 
must  have  the  same  or  similar  desires ;  they  must 
find  enjoyment  under  the  same  or  similar  condi 
tions  ;  in  almost  every  case  there  must  be  strength 
on  one  side,  and  beauty, ' '  gazing  at  her  face  ador 
ingly,  "upon  the  other.  No  two  people  can  really 
love  each  other  unless  they  are  of  the  same  class, 
upon  the  same  plane  of  human  existence,  with — 
ordinarily  speaking — the  same  degree  of  general 
education,  social  standing,  and  refinement.  There 
might  be  marked  exceptions  to  this  rule,  isolated 
instances  of  mutual,  immutable  regard  that  has 
bound  together  two  beings  of  exactly  opposite 
natures  and  utterly  dissimilar  tastes.  But  two 
people  who  are  as  much  alike  as  you  and  I,  in 
very  many  ways,  and  yet  as  different  in  very 
many  other  ways,  are  much  more  apt  to  spend 
long  lives  of  sweet  content  and  happiness  together 
than  those  who  are  not  as  we  are." 

During  all  of  this  rather  long  and  roundabout 
reply  the  young  man  had  been  studying  carefully 
the  open  countenance  of  the  girl  whose  confidence 
he  hoped  to  gain.  But  in  spite  of  his  undoubted 
ability  in  this  one  particular  line  of  research  which 
was  the  result  of  his  somewhat  long  and  decided 
ly  complex  social  career,  he  was  not  at  all  pre 
pared  to  hear  the  words  Bettina  uttered. 

"You  speak  of  love  as  if  it  were  a  growth," 
she  said,  calmly  and  speculatively,  "as  if  it  could 
be  built  up,  somehow,  between  two  human  beings 
.  .  .  what  then  do  you  think  is  the  foundation 
or  beginning  of  the  structure  you  call  love?" 

He  could  not  answer  her  explicitly  in  words. 

"This!"  he  cried,  seizing  in  his  two  strong 
hands  both  of  her  own,  "and  this!"  imprinting 
on  the  backs,  and  on  the  palms,  and  on  the  fingers 


GROUNDED  41 

of  his  two  soft,  white,  fluttering  but  unresisting 
prisoners  a  multitude  of  warm  and  clinging  kisses, 
1  'this,  and  this!" 

The  last  one  of  them  all  he  tucked  away  with 
delicate  and  most  respectful  care  among  the 
brown  braids  of  her  heavy  hair,  then  drew  her 
very  near  so  that  he  held  her  hands  against  his 
breast.  And  as  she  felt  the  throbbing  of  his  heart 
he  saw  a  look  of  startled  wonder  and  of  sweet, 
yielding  understanding  begin  to  grow  within  her 
eyes. 


VII 

One  morning  as  Bettina  and  old  Margaret,  with 
Bonny  in  attendance,  started  out  upon  their  cus 
tomary  walk,  they  were  joined  by  Kurk  Kaleen, 
who  searched  as  eagerly  as  any  of  them  for  the 
wild  flowers  that  they  hoped  to  find. 

Old  Margaret  O'Keefe  found  the  first  slender 
milkmaid  where  the  thin,  white  flower  was  hiding 
just  beneath  the  hedge,  and  as  she  brought  it  to 
Bettina  she  declared : 

' '  It  do  be  very  pale  and  worn,  darlin '.  It  minds 
me  of  a  gurrhl  I  used  to  know.  She  was  a  milk 
maid  too  an'  most  as  slim  as  this  wan  here.  Her 
name  was  Rose  O 'Brady  an'  she  niver  knew  a 
real  well  day  in  all  her  life,  an'  all  because  her 
mither,  whin  Rose  was  a  wee  wan,  took  her  out 
wan  day  an'  laid  her  down  upon  the  grass,  among 
the  sheets  that  she  was  whitenin'.  Layin'  her  on 
the  grass  wud  niver  have  done  her  anny  harm, 
but  whin  she  laid  her  down  she  niver  looked  to 
see  what  was  underneath  the  grass  an'  so  the 
careless  mither  laid  her  wee  wan  down  right  where 
a  stone  had  been  sunk  in  the  ground,  although 
the  sod  had  covered  it  all  over,  to  mark  the  spot 
where  Andy  Callahan  had  fought  anither  man 
until  the  blood  of  both  of  thim  had  dhripped—- 
dhripped — down,  an'  soaked  the  sile. "  She 
stopped  for  breath  and  looked  at  her  audience  to 
see  if  her  recital  had  made  the  proper  impression 
upon  them,  but  as  neither  seemed  serious  she 
added,  "No  wan  should  iver  lay  a  wee  wan  down 
where  angry  men  have  spilled  each  ither's  blood, 
because  it  takes  away  from  the  wee  wan  as  much 

42 


GROUNDED  43 

blood  as  has  dhripped  down  on  the  ground.  An', 
shure,"  she  ended  sadly,  "poor  Rose  0 'Brady 
always  had  to  suffer  for  her  mither's  careless 
ness  ;  if  she  hadn  't  laid  her  down  above  that  stone, 
she  might  have  been  a  plump  and  happy  gurrhl. ' ' 

"But,  Margaret,"  said  Bettina,  when  the  old 
woman  had  finally  come  to  the  end  of  her  narra 
tive,  "do  you  really  think  that  Rose  0 'Brady  was 
so  slim  and  pale  because  her  mother  laid  her  down 
upon  the  grass,  above  that  stone!" 

' '  Miss ' '  said  old  Margaret,  who  was  never  back 
ward  in  making  explanations  to  her  own  "wee 
wan,"  as  she  still  considered  Bettina,  "ye  are 
young  an'  lackin'  in  experience;  manny's  the 
toime  I  Ve  thried  to  make  things  plain  and  simple, 
so  ye'd  understan'  thim.  But  now  that  ye  are  older 
and  more  sinsible  ye  ought  to  see  the  truth  of 
things  the  same  as  I  do.  Ye  see,  whin  Rose 
0 'Brady's  mither  laid  her  down  there  where  the 
ground  had  once  been  wet  wid  blood,  her  wee,  soft, 
warrm  body  felt  the  same  to  it  as  the  blood  had 
whin  it  dhripped — drhipped — down.  An'  so  the 
ground,  not  knowin'  the  difference  bechune  thim, 
jist  took  a  dhrink  of  Rose  0 'Brady's  blood,  an 
bein'  as  she  hadn't  much  to  begin  wid  it  stunted 
her,  an'  she  could  niver  in  her  life  make  up  for 
what  the  ground  had  took  away,  whin  she  was  sich 
a  wee  wan.  She  didn't  have  the  strength  to 
spare." 

Bettina  smiled  at  her  indulgently  when  she  had 
finished  "making  plain  and  simple"  the  story  she 
had  told,  and  then  she  turned  to  Kurk  Kaleen  and 
said: 

"Margaret  has  taken  tender  care  of  me  ever 
since  I  was  as  little  as  Rose  0 'Brady  must  been 
when  that  sad  accident  befell  her. ' ' 

"And  it  is  very  evident,"  the  young  man  said, 


44  GROUNDED 

following  the  lead  the  girl  had  given  him,  "that 
she  was  always  particular  as  to  where  she  laid 
you  down,  when  you  were  too  small  to  decide  such 
matters  for  yourself." 

"Dade  an'  I  was  always  careful  of  her,  whin 
she  was  a  wee  wan!"  exclaimed  the  old  woman, 
looking  fondly  at  her  youthful  charge.  *  *  An '  whin 
I  can  no  longer  do  for  her,  I  will  be  ready  thin 
to  lave  this  worrld ! ' ' 

"You  must  stay  here,  dear,"  Bettina's  voice 
was  very  tender  and  her  gentle  hand  was  laid 
upon  the  other  woman's  shoulder,  "just  as  long 
as  I  do." 

"That  will  not  likely  be,  me,  darlin',"  Margaret 
replied,  wiping  tears  of  joy  from  her  eyes  with 
the  corner  of  her  apron,  "for  ye  are  young,  an' 
I  am  auld,  but  jist  as  long  as  I'll  be  let  to  stay 
here,  annywheres,  I'll  stay  wid  ye,  no  matter 
where  ye  go  or  who  else  there  is  by  ye."  And 
looking  straight  to  Kurk  Kaleen  she  added,  "I 
was  as  near  to  bein'  a  mither  to  her,  sir,  as  anny- 
one  so  different  could  be.  Whin  her  own  mither 
was  about  to  leave  her  she  said  to  me,  for  I  was 
standin'  by  her  bed  wid  her  wee  wan,  darlin',  here, 
layin'  in  me  arrms,  'Be  always  near  her  Mar 
garet.'  An'  thin,  "the  tears  she  wiped  away  this 
time  were  tears  of  sorrow, ' '  the  young  thing  died 
and  left  her  wee  wan  mitherless,  but  first  she  give 
to  her  the  quare,  Eyetalyan  name  that  she  has 
now.  A  sweet,  good  gurrhl  the  mither  was  but," 
shaking  her  head,  "she'd  been  away  in  furrin' 
parts  an'  read  a  lot  of  furrin'  books,  anr  so  she 
had  some  quare  ideas." 

"But,  dear,"  Bettina  said,  "my  foreign  name 
has  never  been  a  burden  to  you,  for  you  have  not 
used  it  much." 

"An'  ye  will  always  be  to  me,"  her  old  nurse 


GROUNDED  45 

laughingly  agreed,  "jist  only  ~*iy  Miss  darlin'. 
M>y  Oirish  tongue  wud  never  twist  itself  aroun' 
a  name  that  has  so  much  Eyetalyan  to  it." 

"My  tongue  is  Irish,  too,"  said  Kurk  Kaleen, 
bestowing  his  engaging  smile  upon  the  old  nurse 
and  her  charge  as  well, ' '  and  yet  I  find  that  I  can 
say  Bettina,"  lingering  lovingly  over  the  name, 
"very  well." 

"Yours  is  an  eddicated  Oirish  tongue,"  old 
Margaret  argued,  "an'  mine  is  only  jist  the  way 
that  it  was  give  me.  But  Oirish  hearts,"  she  went 
on,  proudly,  "don't  need  much  eddicatin*  to  be 
only  jist  the  warrmest  an'  the  lovinest  of  all  the 
hearts  in  all  the  wide,  endurin'  world,  an'  mine," 
she  ended,  "belongs  to  her — " 

The  young  man  scrutinized  Bettina 's  face  earn 
estly  and  speculatively,  and  for  a  long  moment 
silence  rested  upon  the  little  group.  Old  Margaret 
realized  the  tenseness  of  the  mental  atmosphere, 
but  the  gentle  hand  that  still  rested  on  her 
shoulder  patted  her  reassuringly;  Bonny  came, 
and  thrust  her  long,  slim  muzzle  beneath  the  free 
hand  of  her  young  mistress.  At  length,  as  if  he 
had  decided  definitely  as  to  what  course  he  would 
pursue,  Kurk  Kaleen  advanced  and  was  about  to 
lay  his  hand  upon  Bettina 's  arm,  but  Bonny,  with 
her  white  teeth  bared,  stood  there  between  them, 
and  in  the  collie's  gentle  eyes  there  gleamed  a 
baleful  fire  that  made  him  pause.  The  girl 
instantly,  and  for  her  sharply,  reproved  her  pet. 
The  dog  turned  her  golden  head  supplicatingly 
toward  her  and  waved  the  plume-like  tail,  but  did 
not  yield  an  inch.  Thus  they  stood,  man  and  dog, 
and  eyed  each  other.  At  last  the  man  stepped 
back,  for  he  had  wisely  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  it  would  be  best  for  him,  to  do  so.  Bonny 
resumed  her  place  at  the  side  of  her  young 


46  GROUNDED 

mistress,  and  listened  quietly,  while  the  young 
man  said: 

" Yours  is  not  the  only  Irish  heart,"  starting 
out  by  addressing  the  old  nurse,  "that  belongs  to 
Miss  Bettina.  That  is, ' '  his  gaze  found  the  young 
girl's  face  and  lingered  there,  "in  case  she  wishes 
to  possess  it."  The  face  his  gaze  had  found  was 
blushing  now.  "It's  lying  there,  upon  the  ground 
before  her  feet,"  the  blush  had  made  him  daring, 
"and  if  she  cares  to  keep  it  all  she  has  to  do  is  to 
stoop  down, — and  pick  it  up. ' ' 


VIII 

" There  was  once,"  began  old  Margaret  when 
one  day  Bettina,  idly  thinking  to  please  her  old 
nurse,  asked  her  for  a  story, ' '  a  gurrhl  who  looked 
enough  like  you  to  be  yer  own  twin  sister.  But 
her  name  was  only  jist  plain  Betty  instid  of  bein' 
what  yer  own  name  is.  She  had  a  lover  an'  he  was 
a  handsome,  black-eyed,  curly-headed  b'y  wid  a 
name  almost  as  square  an'  furrin-like  as  yer  name 
is.  Instid  of  bein'  a  Eyetalyan  name  it  was  Frinch 
an'  wTas  as  near  like  Jake  as  annythin'  cud  be  an' 
not  be  it,  at  all,  at  all.  I  never  cud  pernounce  it, 
an'  so  I  come  as  near  to  it  as  I  cud  come,  an' 
called  him  Jake  fer  short. 

"Wan  day  Jake  fell  ferninst  anither  man  as 
baith  of  thim  were  walkin '  up  the  street,  and  baith 
of  thim  were  only  jist  a  wee  bit  tipsy.  Jake  had 
only  jist  returned  from  furrin  parts  an'  brought 
some  square,  strong,  furrin  liquor  wid  him.  It 
made  the  ither  man  so  mad  that  he  commenced  to 
call  Jake  names  an'  thin  Jake  knocked  him  down. 
An'  there  they  were,  the  baith  of  thim  a  wee  bit 
tipsy,  nghtin'  in  the  street,  whin  who  should  come 
along  but  Betty,  all  dressed  up,  as  clane  an'  nate 
as  if  she  had  but  only  jist  stepped  out  of  a  new 
band-box!" 

This  was  the  crisis,  leading  on  to  the  conclu 
sion  of  the  old  woman 's  story,  and  Bettina  seemed 
both  properly  amazed  and  interested,  for  she  had 
listened  to  many  and  knew  what  was  expected  of 
her.  ' l  An '  thin, ' '  old  Margaret 's  voice  was  tremb 
ling,  and  her  eyes  were  very  wide,  for  she  always 
acted  out  some  parts  of  the  stories,  "Miss  Betty 

47 


48  GROUNDED 

walked  up  to  her  lover,  who  had  a  name  that  was 
so  furrin  I  always  called  him  Jake,  and  said  to 
him,  spakin'  very  low  so  that  the  ither  feller  cud 
not  hear  her,  'Niver  again,'  she  almost  hissed  it 
in  his  ear,  '  will  I  be  seen  wid  you ! '  An '  the  nixt 
toime  he  saw  her  she  was  ridin'  in  her  carriage, 
wid  a  footman,  an'  a  coachman  an'  a  coat  of 
arrms!" 

After  the  old  nurse  had  quite  concluded  the 
story  about  Betty  and  her  lover,  Jacques,  she  said 
to  her  young  charge  impressively:  "Black-eyed, 
curly-headed  lovers  sometimes  do  be  doin'  very 
quare  and  onixpicted  things.  They  are  not  always 
to  be  trusted,  darlin'.  'Tis  thrue  they  do  be  hand 
some  an'  enticin',  an'  whin  a  gurrhl  is  very  young 
an'  innercint  'tis  hard  for  her  to  understand  how 
(black  deceivin '  they  kin  be. ' '  It  was  very  evident 
that  she  was  not  thinking  of  Jacques  but  of  an 
other  dark-eyed  lover  when  she  added  sadly  and 
apprehensively,  "I'm  an  auld  woman,  an'  I  have 
seen  manny  gurrhls  as  young  and  maybe  jist  as 
swate,  to  thim  that  love  thim,  as  you  be.  But 
niver  did  I  see  a  gurrhl  as  smart  as  you  be  an' 
yit  as  innercint.  Ye  cud  be  fooled,  an'  ye've  got 
no  wan  but  me,  a  ignerent,  wake,  auld  woman. 
An'  Bonny,  an'  she  is  but  a  dog,  although  a 
quick-sinsed,  faithful  creature  to  stan'  bechune 
ye  an'  a  dark-eyed  an'  allurin'  feller  who's  got 
the  manners  of  a  gintleman,  the  beauty  of  a  angel 
from  Hiven  itself — an',  for  all  I  know,  me  dar 
lin',"  she  whispered  the  last  statement  and  looked 
cautiously  around  them  when  she  made  it,  "the 
wiles  of  Satan  himsilf." 

"Margaret,"  Bettina  said  affectionately  and 
yet  with  dignity,  * '  you  must  always  remember  that 
Mr.  Kaleen  is  my  father's  guest,  and  came  into 
our  home  upon  his  invitation." 


GEOUNDED  49 

"I  do  be  remimberin '  that,  but  I'll  be  afther 
askin'  ye  wan  question.  What  does  the  master 
of  this  house, ' '  she  did  not  hesitate  to  speak  what 
ever  came  into  her  mind  to  her  wee  wan,  "know 
about  what's  goin'  on  widin'  it?" 

The  girl  looked  at  her  old  nurse  tolerantly  but 
did  not  answer  her.  Instead  she  changed  the  sub 
ject  altogether. 

"My  tutor  said  today,  Margaret,  dear,  that  he 
thought  he  would  soon  be  leaving  here.  But," 
she  hastened  to  add,  for  a  look  of  unholy  joy  be 
gan  to  spread  itself  upon  old  Margaret's  face, 
"only  for  a  time,  as  he  intends  to  return  after  a 
short  vacation.  He  says,"  she  went  on  amused 
ly,  l '  that  he  is  much  in  need  of  relaxation  because 
of  the  strenuous  efforts  he  has  been  making  in 
behalf  of  my  intellectual  advancement.  It  seems," 
she  ended,  putting  her  brown  head  down  upon 
the  old  woman's  ample  lap,  for  she  was  reclining 
on  a  low  hassock  beside  the  chair  in  which  her  old 
nurse  was  sitting,  "that  the  conduct  of  my  edu 
cation  is  very  difficult." 

"It  do  be  seemin',"  admitted  old  Margaret, 
although  as  could  be  plainly  seen  it  was  much 
against  her  will,  "that  Barney  McCoy  has  a  lot 
of  book  eddication,  for  he  do  be  teachin'  my  wee 
wan, ' '  her  crooked  old  fingers  by  this  time  gently 
stroking  the  soft  brown  hair  that  was  beneath 
them,  "some  big,  quare  words  the  manin'  of  which 
is  dark  to  me.  An'  yit,"  as  if  she  felt  they  were 
resting  on  a  sure  foundation,  "somehow  it  niver 
seems  to  me  I  ought  to  be  correctin'  ye  for  usin' 
thim.  But,  as  to  his  relaxin',"  leaving  behind  her 
what  she  did  not  understand,  and  with  it  the  re 
spect  that  the  mental  attainments  of  the,  to  her, 
objectionable  tutor  forced  her  to  give  him,  "he 
sure  do  be  needin '  that  if  iver  anny  man  cud  iver 


50  GROUNDED 

need  it,  for  niver  army  human  bein'  as  far  as  my 
experience  goes,  an '  I  am  an  auld  woman,  an '  have 
seen  manny  human  beings,  was  iver  as  stiff,  an' 
high-headed  an'  prideful  as  be  he !  An'  whin  he's 
away,  darling''  unconsciously  revealing  one  rea 
son  why  she  did  not  like  the  tutor,  "we  will  be 
more  togither  than  we  are  whin  he  is  here.  It  do 
be  seeminV'  the  tenderness  that  was  beneath  the 
thick  mask  of  her  untrained  sentences  leaped  out, 
and  stood  before  and  quite  concealed  them,  ' '  that 
ivry  bone  in  your  swate  body  is  jist  as  dear  to  me 
as  whin  yer  dyin'  mither — may  she  rest  in  peace 
— towld  me  she  trusted  ye  to  me.  An'  if,"  she 
ended,  while  her  dim  old  eyes  grew  fierce  with  the 
fierceness  of  protecting  and  maternal  love,  ' '  anny 
man  or  anny  woman  should  thry  to  do  ye  harm, 
the  first  thing  that  wud  stan'  bechune  ye  an'  the 
divilment  wud  be  yer  poor  auld  Margaret's  heart, 
and  after  that,  although  I  might  seem  wake,  I'd 
back  ye  up  in  annything  ye  'd  thry  to  do,  for  you, ' ' 
softly  smoothing  the  pulsing,  glowing  velvet  of 
her  wee  wan 's  cheek, ' '  have  grown  to  be  a  woman 
now,  an '  are  knowin '  manny  things  that  yer  auld 
Margaret  wud  niver  have  success  in  larnin'." 

"Margaret,  dear,"  said  the  girl,  resting  her 
folded  arms  upon  the  older  woman 's  lap  arid  rais 
ing  her  head,  so  that  she  looked  directly  up  into 
the  eyes  that  lovingly  regarded  her,  "you  told 
me  long  ago  that  I  must  never  cross  a  bridge  un 
til  I  reached  it,  and  here  you  are  imagining  things 
that  never  happened,  making  yourself  suffer  on 
account  of  them !  We  are  so  safe  and  happy  here, 
just  you  and  I  and  Bonny,  and  with  my  father," 
pronouncing  the  word  with  great  respect,  "who 
is  always  near  if  we  should  really  require  his 
counsel.  It  seems  to  me  we  ought  to  be  contented 
and  count  our  blessings  over  instead  of  fearing 


GROUNDED  51 

things  we  have  not  seen  and  planning  what  we 
both  would  do." 

Old  Margaret's  eyes  were  full  of  unshed  tears, 
and  Bonny  snuggled  closer  to  the  one  whose  arm 
still  rested  on  her  neck.  But  as  Bettina  ceased 
to  speak  the  old  nurse  said:  "It's  jist  as  safe  and 
swate  here  now  as  you  have  towld  it,  but  what  I 
am  af eared  of  is  that  it  will  not  be  lastin'." 


IX 

The  absence  of  Barney  McCoy  gave  to  Kurk 
Kaleen  many  opportunities  that  would  not  other 
wise  have  offered.  The  hours  Bettina  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  spending  in  the  library  under  the 
espionage  of  her  officious  teacher  were  still  spent 
in  the  presence  of  the  written  words  of  many  au 
thors,  but  under  quite  a  different  tutelage  than 
that  of  her  self-absorbed,  self-adiniring  but  harm 
lessly  frank,  awkward  and  unattractive  tutor. 
She  was  gradually  and  almost  altogether  coming 
more  and  more  beneath  the  glamorous  and  be 
witching  spell  that  Kurk  Kaleen  was  using  every 
means  at  his  command  to  throw  about  her. 

One  day,  after  the  two  young  people  had  been 
together  in  the  library  for  some  time,  the  young 
man  suddenly,  and  without  apparently  prelimin 
ary  preparation,  inquired :  ' '  Are  you  so  much  at 
tached  to  your  old  nurse  that,  in  case  you  should 
decide  to  change  your  place  of  residence,  you 
would  wish  to  take  her  with  you!" 

Bettina  looked  at  him,  with  mild  amazement 
plainly  written  on  her  frank,  expressive  features. 

"Margaret  is  so  much  a  part  of  my  life,"  she 
answered, ' '  that  I  can  hardly  contemplate  the  one 
without  the  other.  If  for  any  reason  we  should 
leave  our  home  here — which  does  not  seem  at 
present  to  be  very  likely — she  would  of  course  ac 
company  us." 

"I  did  not  mean  to  ask  what  you  would  do  if 
you  should  leave  here  with  your  father,  Bettina, ' ' 
his  dark  eyes  compelled  her  to  look  into  them. 
1  'I  wanted  to  know  what  you  will  do  when  you 

52 


GROUNDED  53 

leave  here  with  your  husband."  The  light  that 
gave  his  passionate,  magnetic  gaze  its  power  had 
found  an  answering  flame  within  her  eyes,  for  her 
white  lids,  as  if  to  draw  a  shielding  curtain,  began 
to  droop.  "Of  course  you  will  sometime,  and  that 
time  I  hope  is  not  far  distant,  be  the  mistress  of  a 
home  that  is  really  your  own.  And  when  you  leave 
here,"  the  flush  of  youth  and  health  that  usually 
mantled  her  soft  cheeks  had  disappeared,  "to  en 
ter  that  home,"  the  color  came  tumultuously  back 
into  her  face,  "will  you,  I  wonder,  care  to  take 
your  old  nurse  with  you? " 

A  picture  of  old  Margaret  O'Keefe,  desolate, 
left  behind,  shambling  wearily  about,  sitting  be 
side  the  empty  bed,  wandering  in  loneliness  along 
the  dear,  familiar  paths  where  they  had  walked, 
swept  before  the  inner  consciousness  of  the  ten 
der-hearted  girl,  and  she  cried  out  impulsively: 

1 '  Of  course  she  would  go  with  me !  How  could 
I  have  any  happiness  knowing  that  she  who  cared 
for  me  when  I  was  helpless  and  has  loved  me  all 
my  life,  was  suffering  and  unhappy!"  Her  blue 
eyes  flashed  with  swift  and  certain  condemnation, 
for  the  one  she  was  condemning  was  her  imagin 
ary  self.  "Why,  her  whole  existence  is  bound  up 
with  mine !  It  would  be  like  committing  murder 
for  me  to  go  away  and  leave  her  here!  I  don't 
see  how  you  could,  "for  the  first  time  in  their 
acquaintance  she  looked  at  him  reproachfully, 
"even  think  of  such  a  thing!" 

He  saw  that  he  had  gone  too  far,  at  least  for 
the  time  being,  and  he  diplomatically  avoided 
during  the  balance  of  that  day  mentioning  either 
old  Margaret's  name,  or  the  radical  change  that 
he  intended  would  very  soon  take  place  in  the  life 
of  her  youthful  charge. 

The  young  man  was  a  practiced,  fluent  and  very 


54  GROUNDED 

capable  interpreter  of  written  words.  Reading 
aloud  was  an  accomplishment  in  which  he  had  had 
much  training  and  one  of  his  principal  methods 
of  attack  upon  a  woman's  heart  had  been  to  shield 
Ms  own  feelings  behind,  while  apparently  ex 
pressing  them  through  dramatic  scenes  in  which 
passionate  human  love  had  been  graphically,  ar 
tistically  and  yet  naturally  portrayed  by  those 
who  had  epitomized  upon  the  printed  pages  the 
entire  gamut  of  earthly  emotions.  In  this  way  it 
had  been  possible  for  him  to  definitely  discover 
the  true  feelings  of  the  one  he  was  at  the  time 
endeavoring  to  influence,  and  yet  reserve  until  he 
should  choose  to  reveal  them,  his  own  real  senti 
ments. 

They  had  been  discussing  the  works  of  English 
novelists  and  Bettina  had  declared  that  among 
them  all  the  one  that  most  thoroughly  understood 
and  vividly  described  the  emotions  of  the  human 
heart  was  a  writer  who,  although  a  woman,  chose 
to  use  the  name  of  a  man — George  Eliot.  Accord 
ingly,  with  "The  Mill  on  the  Floss"  in  his  hand, 
the  man  seated  himself  beside  the  girl  and  with 
unerring  accuracy,  as  if  he  had  been  guided  by 
some  mysterious  power  that  was  in  collusion  with 
him,  turned  almost  instantly  to  the  pages  upon 
which,  with  masterly  artistry,  the  delineation  of 
Stephen  Guest's  impetuous  declaration  of  his  love 
for  Maggie  Tulliver  is  made.  As  he  read  the 
thrilling  sentences  his  rich,  expressive  voice  vi 
brated  with  the  feeling  that  was  in  them,  and 
Bettina  listening  to  the  words  of  the  author 
somehow  almost  thought  that  she  herself  was 
Maggie  Tulliver,  and  that  he  whose  voice  she 
heard  was  Stephen  Guest.  His  eyes  now  even 
darker  than  their  wont,  from  time  to  time  were 
lifted  from  the  pages,  and  with  compelling  mag- 


GROUNDED  55 

netism  drew  her  gaze  until  her  eyes,  their  blue 
depths  dark  like  clear,  unfathomed  pools,  were 
looking  straight  into  his  own.  Once,  as  he  held 
her  spellbound  thus,  one  of  his  hands,  as  if  with 
out  volition,  went  out  and  covered  lovingly  one 
of  hers  that  like  a  little  soft,  white  dove  was  rest 
ing  on  her  lap. 

''Dear  little  girl,  you  know  I  love  you,  utterly. 
You  asked  me  once  how  I  could  be  sure,  having 
known  you  for  so  short  a  time.  "He  was  by  this 
time  holding  both  of  her  hands  between  both  of 
his,  for  hers  were  resting  like  two  willing  pris 
oners  upon  one  of  his  hands,  with  the  other  over 
them. "  I  '11  tell  you  now  one  of  the  reasons  I  love 
you.  I've  hunted  for — and  never  found  until  I 
came  here — a  certain  woman,  one  wrho  would  be 
true  as  steel  no  matter  what  misfortunes  would 
befall  or  enemies  assail  me,  one  whose  love  and 
understanding  sympathy  would  never  fail,  whose 
pity  would  wrap  itself  around  me  like  a  warm, 
soft,  shielding  cloak  so  that  sickness,  sorrow,  even 
disgrace  itself  could  not  really  touch  or  harm  me — 
and  you!  Bettina,  little  innocent  unsullied  girl," 
his  hands  were  fairly  clinging  now  to  hers,  "are 
the  woman  for  whom  I  have  been  searching." 
' '  You  know  now, ' '  he  ended,  rising  and  lifting  her 
so  that,  hands  clasped,  they  faced  each  other,  "one 
reason  why  I  love  you!" 


Walter  Wane  as  a  rule  saw  very  little  of  his 
household.  He  had  made  careful  provisions  for  his 
daughter's  education  as  well  as  for  her  personal 
well-  being  after  his  young  wife 's  untimely  death, 
and  he  withdrew  from  the  outside  world,  devoting 
himself  almost  entirely  to  certain  lines  of  research 
in  order  to  distract  his  mind  from  what  he  con 
sidered  the  ruin  of  his  earthly  hopes.  Connection 
with  the  social  circle  in  which  he  formerly  moved 
was  kept  up  only  through  correspondence  and  the 
decidedly  infrequent  visits  between  himself  and 
his  old-time  friends.  Kurk  Kaleen's  father  was 
one  who  had  never  allowed  the  solitary  man  to 
drift  out  of  the  range  of  direct  communication, 
and  had  from  time  to  time  during  the  past  twenty 
years  visited  him  in  his  secluded  home.  Although 
he  had  in  this  way  met  and  very  rarely  conversed 
with  his  old  friend's  daughter,  he  had  not  con 
sidered  it  incumbent  upon  himself  to  talk  with  his 
son  concerning  her.  Hence,  the  latter  was  quite 
unprepared  and  much  surprised  to  find  a  matured, 
self-possessed  beautiful  young  woman  in  the  libra 
ry  on  the  day  that  her  father  had  sent  him  there. 

One  day  Bettina  went  into  her  father's  study 
while  his  young  visitor  was  in  consultation  with 
him  to  ask  about  some  household  matter  concern 
ing  which  she  was  in  need  of  his  advice.  There  was 
a  quick  exchange  of  glances  between  the  two  young 
people,  and  the  involuntary  blush  that  swept  over 
his  daughter's  face  made  the  older  man  realize  for 
the  first  time  that  the  little  girl  had  reached  a 
marriageable  age.  Closely  following  this  know- 

56 


GROUNDED  57 

ledge  came  the  possibility  of  an  alliance  with  the 
son  of  a  man  whom  he  himself  had  always  liked 
and  respected.  This  idea  was  pleasing  in  more 
ways  than  one.  He  had  never  really  known  his 
daughter  very  well,  and  instead  of  to  some  extent 
filling  the  place  that  her  mother's  death  had  left 
vacant  in  his  heart,  her  presence  seemed  a  con 
stant  and  not  a  consoling  reminder  of  his  own 
irreparable  loss.  Knowing  that  so  far  as  wealth, 
refinement  and  social  standing  went  the  young 
man's  family  was  beyond  reproach,  realizing  that 
the  young  man  himself,  so  far  as  he  was  able  to 
judge,  was  one  of  whom  he  might  be  proud,  and 
being  well  aware  that  his  daughter,  in  case  a  union 
between  herself  and  his  young  visitor  should  be 
effected,  would  be  well  provided  for,  the  discovery 
that  he  made  soon  after  the  girl's  appearance  in 
his  study  was  rather  gratifying. 

After  he  had  advised  with  his  daughter  Mr. 
Wane  looked  at  her  earnestly  and  said :  "I  trust 
you  are  spending  your  time  profitably,  Bettina, 
during  the  absence  of  your  tutor.  While  he  is 
rather  peculiar,"  he  went  on,  addressing  the 
young  man,  as  well  as  the  girl,  "he  is  nevertheless 
perfectly  reliable  and  very  capable,  being  trust 
worthy  in  every  particular  and  really  well- 
educated,  although  his  pronounced  egoism  makes 
it  somtimes  rather  difficult  to  comprehend  the 
fact." 

"If  one  may  judge  by  results,"  Kurk  Kaleen 
declared,  smilingly  regarding  Barney  McCoy's 
pupil,  "It  seems  to  me  that  Miss  Bettina 's  tutor 
must  be,  beyond  question  extraordinary." 

The  girl's  fair  face  was  suffused  with  blushes, 
not  so  much  on  account  of  the  words  as  because 
of  the  expressive  glances  that  had  accompanied 
and  preceded  them.  Her  father  regarded  her 


58  GROUNDED 

quietly  and  seriously,  and  at  length  remarked: 
' '  I  have  always  considered,  my  daughter,  that  you 
resembled  very  closely  my  side  of  our  family ;  but 
today  it  seems  to  me  that  I  can  begin  to  see  traces 
of  your  mother's  charming  beauty  in  your  face." 

The  young  man  joined  his  senior  in  gazing 
seriously  upon  the  countenance  in  question,  and 
the  girl  her  sweet  lips  trembling  and  her  blue  eyes 
humid — looked  timidly  from  one  to  the  other 
showing  plainly  that  she  respected  as  well  as 
admired  both  her  father  and  his  visitor.  At  length 
she  spoke  and  her  young  voice  had  in  its  tones 
a  sound  that  is  so  seldom  found  on  earth  that, 
when  its  music  falls  on  human  hearing,  the 
hearers,  no  matter  how  engaged  they  may  be  at 
the  time,  pause  and  listen. 

"I've  always,  hoped,"  looking  directly  into  her 
father's  face,  "that  I  would  grow  to  be  at  least  a 
little  like  my  mother,  because  I  thought,"  she  hesi 
tated  and  looked  down,  but  finally  went  bravely 
on,  "that  maybe,  if  I  did,"  her  gaze  again  was 
concentrated  upon  Mr.  Wane, ' '  you  might  perhaps 
begin  to  care  for  me." 

"Bettina,"  began  her  father,  shaken  out  of  his 
habitual  reserve  by  the  knowledge  that  she  under 
stood  the  true  state  of  his  feelings  toward  her, 
"I  have  always  tried  to  be  to  you  what,  as  it  has 
seemed  to  me,  a  father  should  be  to  a  daughter. ' ' 

"There  is  no  doubt,"  she  answered  proudly, 
retiring  as  was  her  usual  custom  when  in  his 
presence,  within  herself,  ' '  that  you  have  fully  met 
every  obligation  placed  upon  you.  I  beg  your 
pardon  if  I  have  seemed  presumptuous  in  what 
I  have  just  said.  I  do  not  often,"  she  ended 
diffidently  and  as  if  she  wished  to  excuse  herself 
for  a  misdemeanor,  "speak  from  impulse.  And  I 
am  well  aware  that  I  should  never  do  so." 


GROUNDED  59 

' '  Perhaps  we  may, ' '  her  father  said  rising  and 
drawing  near  to  where  she  stood,  for  she  was 
about  to  leave  the  room,  "after  this  frank  under 
standing  become  better  acquainted  with  each  other 
than  we  have  ever  been. ' ' 

Her  eyes  were  raised  and  looked  into  his 
questioningly.  Brought  so  near  to  each  other, 
there  was  a  strong  resemblance.  The  young  man, 
who  had  been  watching  all  that  passed,  observed 
this  similarity  and  always  afterward  remembered 
it. 

As  Bettina  left  the  room,  he  turned  toward  his 
host  and  said :  "I  hope  you  will  not  think  that  I 
am  hasty,  Sir,  in  what  I  am  about  to  say.  For 
some  time,  I  have  wished  to  speak  to  you  about  a 
matter  that  is  to  me  of  the  gravest  importance, 
for  my  whole  future  hinges  upon  the  outcome. 
I  love  your  daughter,  Mr.  "Wane,"  he  rose  and 
stood,  tall,  handsome,  virile,  before  the  other  man, 
' '  devotedly,  and  I  desire  above  everything  else  in 
this  world  or  in  any  other  world  to  have  her  for 
my  wife.  You  know  already,"  practically  and 
reasonably,  as  if  he  felt  that  his  credentials  would 
met  with  his  auditor's  approval,  "the  conditions 
by  which  I  am  surrounded,  and  I  do  not  suppose 
that  you  will  require  other  recommendation  as  to 
my  veracity  and  ability  to  make  my  way  than  the 
one  that  my  father  will  be  overjoyed  to  give  to 
you,  for  I  feel  certain,  that  the  proposal  that  I  am 
about  to  make  would  meet  with  his  entire 
approval. 

"I  ask  you  sir,"  he  ended  formally,  "for  your 
daughter's  hand  in  marriage." 


XI 

One  morning  not  long  after  the  events  narrated, 
there  was  a  knock,  not  loud  and  yet  insistent,  upon 
the  door  of  Mr.  Wane's  study.  He  listened  a 
moment,  and  as  the  knock  was  almost  instantly 
repeated  and  also  emphasized,  he  rose,  and  going 
to  the  door  put  his  hand  upon  the  knob,  when 
suddenly  it  was  pushed  open  so  that  it  was  neces 
sary  for  him  to  step  back  quickly  in  order  to  avoid 
collision  with  it.  Bursting  in  upon  him,  for  she 
had  to  "work  herself  up,"  as  she  expressed  the 
mental  preparations  she  had  made  in  order  to 
have  sufficient  courage  to  come  at  all,  old  Mar 
garet  O'Keefe  appeared. 

"I  could  not  slape  last  night,  sir,  an'  shure 
whin  I  did  I  dramed  such  drames  as  waked  me 
up!"  she  began,  taking  up  a  position  in  front  of 
the  chair  in  which  he  had  again  seated  himself. 
"Twas  borne  to  me,  come  mornin',  that  you  and 
I  should  talk  things  over  bechune  ourselves,  wid* 
out  me  darlin'  knowin'  anything  about  it,  for  she 
is  only  jist  a  wee  wan  yit  in  very  manny  ways  an' 
I  an  auld  woman.  An'  you,"  looking  at  him 
daringly,  "although  you  hav'n't  often  acted  much 
as  if  you  were,  are  yit  her  father. 

"Darlin'  is  at  prisent  in  a  most  peculiar  fix. 
I'm  wid  her  almost  all  the  time,"  she  explained, 
noticing  the  look  of  astonishment  on  his  features, 
"an'  so  I  do  be  knowin'  manny  things  that  thim 
as  niver  is  wid  her  at  all  might  maybe  do  well  if 
they  would  be  af ther  thryin '  to  find  out.  My  wee 
wan's  heart"  is  bein'  caught,  like  manny  ither 
swate  wild,  innercint  young  things  have  been,  wid- 

60 


GROUNDED  61 

out  her  knowin'  what  it  is  that  makes  her  want  to 
go  intil  the  trap  now  bein'  set  for  her.  Darlin', 
is  young  an'  strong  an'  beautiful;  it  may  not  be 
that  you  have  noticed,  sir,  how  beautiful  she  is. 
She's  growin'  ivery  day  to  look  more  like  her 
mither  ,  sir,  an'  thin,  she's  niver  been  away  from 
home.  She  is  as  innercent  but  not  so  knowin'  as 
her  mither,  and  could  be  fooled,  sir,  by  what  her 
mither  would  have  seen  right  through.  For  she, 
an '  may  she  rest  in  pace, ' '  looking  down  reverent 
ly,  "although  she  was  so  young,  was  wiser  than 
manny  who  are  aulder. 

"Darlin',  sir,  has  niver  even  seen  a  man  excipt 
yourself  until  jist  lately,  for  no  wan  in  his  right 
mind  wud  say  that  that  spalpeen  who  sthruts 
aroun'  an'  says  that  he's  a  man  so  manny  times, 
was  railly  what  he  says.  You  can  see  yourself, 
sir,  she's  niver  had  a  bit  of  trainin'  as  to  what  to 
do  wid  men.  "Pis  true !  she 's  read  a  lot  in  books 
about  baith  men  and  women,  but  men  inside  of 
books,  as  nigh  as  I  can  make  thim  out,"  old  Mar 
garet  had  never  read  a  whole  book  through  in  all 
her  life,  having  great  difficulty  in  "making  out" 
a  single  line  of  printed  matter, ' '  are  very  different 
indade  from  thim  that  are  outside  of  thim.  An' 
this  wan  who's  here  now  is  far  from  bein'  shut 
up  in  a  book.  He's  only  jist  as  much  alive  as 
annything  I  iver  saw;  he's  handsome  an'  allurin', 
too,  an'  that  makes  it  all  the  harder  on  me  darlin', 
for  whin  a  man  is  handsome  an'  allurin'  an'  a 
woman  is  young  an '  strong  an '  beautiful,  it  makes 
it  hard  on  baith  of  thim  to  have  good  sinse.  She's 
a  swate,  good  girl,  sir,  as  swate  an'  clane  an'  good 
a  girl  as  ever  lived,  for  I  have  brought  her  up 
mesilf  an'  know  what  I  be  tellin'  of,  but"  the  old 
woman  ended,  looking  at  Mr.  Wane  knowingly, 
"she  could  be  fooled,  sir — she  could  be  fooled." 


62  GROUNDED 

"The  young  man  to  whom  you  are  referring, 
Margaret,"  Bettina's  father's  tones  were  serious 
if  not  severe,  "has  asked  me  for  my  daughter's 
hand  in  marriage,  and  if  he  should  gain  her  con 
sent  as  well  as  mine — for  I  have  given  it,  knowing 
his  antecedents  very  well — why  then  of  course  she 
will  become  his  wife.  I  think, ' '  reflectively,  ' '  that 
his  intentions  are  entirely  honorable." 

' '  I  don 't  know  annything  at  all,  at  all, ' '  declared 
.old  Margaret,  "ferninst  his  anties  or  his  uncles. 
The  baith  of  thim  may  be  all  right  for  all  I  know, 
but  he's  the  only  handsome  and  allurin'  lover  the 
girlie's  iver  had.  The  dog,  who  is  a  quick-sinsed, 
lovin'  creature,  won't  make  up  wid  him;  an'  I, 
who  love  her  like  her  mither  would  have  done,  sir, 
or  like  I  would  have  loved  my  own  wee  wan,  can 't 
bear  to  see  him  put  his  hand  ferninst  her  little 
fingers.  But  if  I  thought  that  bein'  his  wife  wud 
make  her  happy,  why  thin  ye'd  niver  hear  a  peep 
from  poor  old  Margaret  no  matter  what  she  suf 
fered.  I  wud  go  wid  her,  sir,  an'  stay  wid  her 
through  thick  and  thin,  but  I  don 't  feel,  somehow, 
sir,  that  she  wud  be  happy!  An'  Bonny  won't 
make  up  wid  him,  an'  dogs  is  often  wiser,  sir, 
than  they  are  given  credit  for.  An'  I  can't  slape 
because  I  am  afraid  darlin's  bein'  fooled.  Whin 
I  do  slape,"  she  ended,  shuddering  so  that  her 
heavy  body  shook  as  with  an  ague,  "I  drame  such 
drames  as  wake  me  up  agin. ' ' 

"I  think  that  we  will  let  these  matters  take 
their  natural  course."  Bettina's  father  had  de 
cided  that  the  old  woman's  superstitious  notions 
were  not  worth  considering.  "My  daughter  is  a 
woman  now  and  has  had  the  advantage  of  a  liberal 
education.  She  should  be  able  to  determine,  since 
she  is  not  hampered  in  any  way  by  any  other 


GROUNDED  63 

person's  wishes,  what  it  would  be  best  for  her  to 
do." 

Old  Margaret  watched  him  closely  and  under 
stood  exactly  what  he  meant,  although  some  of 
his  words  had  been,  as  she  herself  would  have 
expressed  it,  a  little  "dark"  to  her;  she  knew  he 
meant  that  so  far  as  he  was  concerned  there  would 
be  no  interference  in  the  matter  in  which  she  had 
just  been  trying  to  interest  him.  But  although 
she  knew  him  to  be  "set,"  still  she  was  not^will- 
ing  to  retire,  although  for  the  time  completely 
vanquished,  without  making  one  more  effort  for 
the  ultimate  well-being  of  her  wee  wan. 

"I  want  to  ask  wan  question,  sir,  before  I  lave 
—an'  niver  afther  this  wan  toime  will  I  be 
throublin'  ye."  She  came  a  little  nearer,  her 
arms  akimbo  on  her  ample  hips.  "Do  you  belave 
that  the  darlin  's  mither  wud  be  f  eelin '  only  jist  as 
careless  as  be  you,  if  she  could  be  here  wid  us 
now!" 

No  one,  not  even  Margaret  herself  had  ever 
before  dared  to  speak  to  Mr.  Wane  in  just  this 
way  regarding  his  young  wife.  It  had  been  al 
ways  understood  by  all  of  those  who  had  con 
versed  with  him  concerning  personal  matters  that 
there  must  always  be  maintained  with  reference  to 
this  one  sad  and  sacred  subject  the  most  respect 
ful  and  inviolate  silence.  So  now  she  did  not  hesi 
tate,  although  she  was  beyond  all  doubt  not  only 
badly  frightened  but  disappointed,  for  she  had 
hoped  that  good  ground  would  be  gained  for  her 
to  set  her  feet  upon,  and  so  advance  toward  the 
end  she  longed  to  reach.  She  waited  for  an  answer 
to  her  question  breathlessly;  once  or  twice  she 
opened  her  pitifully  trembling  and  utterly  help' 
less  old  mouth  with  the  intention  to  speak  to  Mr. 
Wane  again,  but  the  austerity  of  his  manner,  com- 


64  GROUNDED 

bined  with  the  severe  accusation  that  rested  in  his 
eyes,  forbade  it,  and  at  length,  overawed,  humili 
ated  and  crestfallen,  she  turned  and  was  about  to 
leave  the  room  when  she  was  arrested  by  the 
sound  of  a  light,  quick  footstep  approaching  the 
door: 

"Margaret,  dear !"  called  Bettina's  fresh  young 
voice,  "Margaret,  dear,  where  are  you?" 

"Here's  yer  poor  auld  Margaret,"  answered 
the  old  nurse,  tottering  toward  the  door  that  the 
girl  held  open  for  her.  "Here  she  is,  an'  bad  cess 
to  anything, ' '  shaking  her  fluttering  old  fist  at  the 
air,  "that  thries  to  kape  her  from  ye!" 


XII 

Kurk  Kaleen  was  both  gratified  and  encouraged 
by  the  knowledge  that  he  would  meet  with  no  op 
position.  Upheld  by  this  he  used  every  means 
through  which  he  might  secure  the  consent  of  the 
girl  whom  he  wished  to  marry.  Realizing  that  old 
Margaret,  who  could  not  conceal  her  real  feelings 
even  had  she  desired  to  do  so,  was  strenuously 
and  even  in  her  weak  way  fiercely  opposed  to  him, 
the  young  man  so  far  as  possible  eliminated  her 
from  the  problem  he  was  trying  to  solve.  This 
attitude  of  his  mind  was  even  more  pronounced 
with  regard  to  the  girl's  dumb  companion.  In 
pursuance  of  some  plans  that  he  had  formulated 
during  the  night,  he  early  one  morning  met  Bet- 
tina  and  old  Margaret  as  they  were  about  to  start 
upon  their  customary  walk. 

"I  think,"  he  said  hurriedly,  respectfully  salut 
ing  the  strangely  matched  but  congenial  pair, 
' '  that  as  I  came  out  I  heard  someone  calling  with 
considerable  insistence  for  Margaret  O'Keefe," 
knowing  that  the  lumbering  old  woman  would  be 
almost  certain  to  carefully  investigate  the  imag 
inary  summons,  he  confidently  added,  ' '  You  and  I 
might  go  on  for  a  little  way,  Bettina,  and  if  neces 
sary  wait,"  for  the  old  woman  had  innocently 
swallowed  the  bait  that  he  had  thrown  out  to  her 
and  was  hurrying  toward  the  house. 

Having  thus  done  away  with  one  of  his  oppo 
nents,  the  young  diplomat  gracefully  and  success 
fully  avoided  trouble  with  the  remaining  one,  for 
Bonny  was  joyfully  conducting  the  expedition,  by 
speaking  in  a  low,  placating  tone  of  voice,  and  by 

65 


66  GROUNDED 

refraining  from  actual  contact  with  the  girl 's  per 
son.  Having  cleared  the  decks  for  action  he  drew 
near  but  not  too  near,  as  the  girl's  canine  guard 
had  reported  for  duty,  to  the  dainty  and  desirable 
little  craft  that  he  intended  to  capture. 

"Bettina,"  he  began,  his  low  tones  lingering 
over  the  name,  "when  I  think  of  what  may  be  in 
store  for  us,  together,  it  hardly  seems  to  me  that 
I  can  wait  much  longer  for  you  to  say,  dear  little 
girl,  that  you  will  be  my  wife. ' ' 

The  girl  looked  up  at  him,  and  although  rosy 
blushes  chased  each  other  over  her  fair  face,  she 
did  not  say  the  words  that,  as  he  had  very  plainly 
indicated,  he  wished  to  hear.  Instead,  she  brought 
the  conversation  back  and  steered  her  little  craft 
beyond  the  danger  zone,  into  which  it  was  about 
to  drift. 

"I've  always  loved  the  great  outdoors,"  she 
said.  "When  the  air  is  balmy  it  is  delightful, 
but  when  there  is  a  storm  I  love  to  brace  myself 
against  the  wind  and  feel  the  rain — or  snow— 
upon  my  face.  Being  outside,  beneath  the  open 
sky,"  looking  up  and  around  happily,  "seems  to 
give  me,  somehow,  both  courage  and  content 
ment.  ' ' 

But  this,  although  it  was  to  him,  like  every 
thing  she  said  or  did,  most  interesting,  was  not 
what  he  had  meant  to  talk  about  that  morning 
according  to  his  plans  of  the  night  before.  And, 
so,  he  changed  the  subject  altogether  and  asked 
her  when  she  thought  her  tutor  would  return. 

"  I  do  not  know, ' '  she  answered,  glancing  shyly 
up  as  if  to  find  the  reason  for  his  question,  "but  I 
suppose,  when  he  is  sufficiently  recuperated,  he 
will  again  take  up  the  arduous  work  laid  down 
because  it  had  grown  burdensome."  She  smiled 
a  little  whimsically  and  added,  * '  My  education  has 


GROUNDED  67 

been  strenuous  in  many  ways  for  both  my  tutor 
and  myself.  Having  but  one  pupil,  he  has  been 
obliged  to  adjust  his  instructions  to  that  one  mind, 
instead  of  having  had  a  variety  of  mentalities  to 
practise  upon.  While  I,  the  only  one  to  be  taught, 
have  had  to  endure  the  full,  glaring  force  of  the 
light  of  his  knowledge, — which,  according  to  his 
own  statement,  is  almost  if  not  entirely  un 
limited.  ' ' 

"Barney  McCoy,"  the  young  man  declared 
heartily,  "has  been  eminently  successful  in  the 
performance  of  his  work.  I  do  not  blame  him  for 
his  egotism.  Of  course,  though,  he  must  not  be 
given  too  much  credit,  for  undoubtedly  many  of 
your  mental  attainments  have  been  acquired  in 
spite  of  his  instructions." 

"It  is  true,"  assented  the  girl,  "that  I  have  not 
strictly  followed  in  every  instance  the  exact  lines, 
of  thought  into  which  he  has  directed  me. 
Alone  in  my  father's  library,  I  have  often  been 
proud  and  thankful  for  those  great  mentalities 
which,  through  the  written  words  that  they  have 
left  behind,  appealed  directly  to  me.  Through 
their  guidance  I  have  found  food  that  has  sustain 
ed  and  nourished  a  part  of  my  nature  which  with 
out  it  would  have  been  crippled,  if  indeed  it  had 
not  perished  utterly." 

He  looked  at  her  speculatively,  for  in  every  way 
that  was  possible  for  him  he  was  making  a  study 
of  her.  He  was  wondering  what  authors  had  had 
the  most  influence  in  directing  the  trend  of  her 
thoughts,  and  remembering  her  predilection  for 
the  works  of  George  Eliot,  he  said: 

"I  suppose  you  know  that  the  author  of  'The 
Mill  On  The  Floss'  subjected  herself  to  rather 
harsh  criticism  by  the  liberality  of  some  of  her 
statements,  in  which  she  declared  herself  to  be 


68  GROUNDED 

against  some  of  the  established  customs  of  the 
time  in  which  she  lived,  and  that  consequently 
her  genius  was  to  some  extent  unappreciated  or  at 
least  unacknowledged,  especially  among  those 
whose  doctrines  she  opposed?" 

"So  I  have  been  led  to  understand,"  replied 
George  Eliot's  ardent  admirer,  "and  I  have  been 
deeply  grieved  when  I  have  reflected  that  such  a 
woman  as  she  was  obliged  in  any  degree  to  be 
hampered,  held  back  or  hurt  by  lack  of  under 
standing,  and  fanatical  bigotry." 

At  this  point  in  the  dialogue  there  was  inter 
ruption  of  a  nature  not  to  be  denied.  Strutting 
along  the  public  highway,  "Armed  with  a  little, 
brief  authority, ' '  to  quote  one  of  William  Shakes 
peare  *s  cryptic  sentences,  the  two  young  people 
suddenly  became  aware  of  the  approach  of  a 
familiar  squatty  figure. 

"My  dear  young  lady,"  announced  her  tutor  as 
soon  as  he  was  within  hailing  distance,  "we  must 
get  back  to  regular,  consecutive  routine!" 


XIII 

When  old  Margaret  O'Keefe  discovered  that 
Barney  McCoy  had  returned  she  did  not  conceal 
her  annoyance,  but  on  the  other  hand  she  did  not 
at  once  enter  into  conflict  with  him.  In  fact,  for 
reasons  of  her  own  and  for  the  first  time  during 
her  acquaintance  with  him,  she  was  in  need  of  his 
assistance;  being,  as  she  put  it,  "at  her  wit's 
end."  She  was  willing  to  call  for  help  even  from 
her  wrorst  enemy. 

In  this  desperate  decision  she  went  one  day, 
when  she  had  reason  to  believe  that  the  tutor 
would  be  alone,  to  the  door  of  the  library,  and  in  a 
manner  that  was  characteristic,  knocked  loudly 
and  insistently.  After  what  seemed  to  her  to  be 
some  little  time,  she  realized  that  someone  was 
slowly  and  stiffly  approaching  the  door  from  the 
other  side.  In  spite  of  her  strong  resolve  concern 
ing  the  mission  upon  which  she  was  bent,  her  fists 
began  to  double  up  and  her  arms  to  set  themselves 
akimbo,  for  she  felt  certain  that  the  person  then 
within  the  room  was  none  other  than  "that  sthrut- 
tin y  spalpeen. ' '  As  the  person  in  the  library  came 
nearer  and  nearer  the  door,  old  Margaret  felt  as 
if  she  were  about  to  suffocate  but  still  she  stood 
her  ground.  At  length  a  hand  was  on  the  knob 
and  very  soon  the  two,  from  their  very  natures 
caustic  and  embittered  foes,  were  face  to  face,  one 
with  the  other.  The  man  stepped  back  in  undis 
guised  astonishment  and  his  right  hand  closed 
around  the  fiery,  pointed  tuft  of  whiskers  that 
adorned  the  middle  of  his  chin.  He  looked 
straight  at  his  uninvited  guest  and  she  in  turn 

69 


70  GROUNDED 

looked  back  at  him.  He  was  so  much  surprised 
that  he  was  for  the  time  being  speechless,  and  old 
Margaret,  now  that  she  had  gained  the  audience 
she  sought,  was  from  the  very  force  of  the 
emotions  that  had  brought  her  there  temporarily 
as  silent.  They  eyed  each  other  for  a  few  seconds, 
and  then  the  tutor,  feeling  it  somehow  incumbent 
on  him  as  the  host,  broke  the  ice  or  set  the  fire 
going,  as  the  case  might  be. 

"To  what  am  I  indebted,"  he  began,  with  the 
intent  to  be  quite  formal — but  then  the  unusually 
pitiful  and  stricken  look  upon  the  ignorant  old 
woman's  features  appealed  to  his  superior  intel 
ligence.  Instead  of  going  on  in  that  strain  he 
switched]  to  one  far  milder  and  more  human. 
"To  be  brief  and  come  directly  to  the  point,  what 
can  I  do  for  you?" 

At  the  same  time  he  stepped  aside  and  back, 
and  so  invited  her  to  enter.  This  she  did  gingerly, 
and  for  her  very  quietly.  As  soon  as  she  found 
her  bearings  she  enlightened  him  as  to  the  visit. 

' '  It  may  seem  quare  to  you  that  I,  a  lone  widdy 
woman  as  ye  are  knowin'  me  to  be,  should  come 
here  by  mesilf  to  talk  wid  ye.  But  it  has  lately 
been  borne  in  on  me  that  maybe  you  and  I,  be- 
chune  us,  might  be  af  ther  doin '  a  little  bit  of  good 
togither,  instid  of  always  fightin'  back  and  forth. 
That  is,"  she  went  on,  seeing  the  look  of  grand 
iloquent  disdain  beginning  to  assert  itself  upon 
the  man's  otherwise  placid,  self-satisfied  counte 
nance,  "if  you  should  fer  once  in  all  yer  life  be 
willin'  to  fergit  yersilf,  sufficient,  so  as  that  ye 
could  be  afther  doin'  somethin'  for  anither  one 
besides  yersilf;  an'  this  wan,"  ignoring  the  bel 
ligerent  expression  that  was  growing  on  the 
tutor's  face,  "that  I'll  be  afther  askin'  ye  to  do 
for,  or  to  tell  me  how  ye  think  that  I  could  do  me- 


GROUNDED  71 

silf,"  for  in  her  trouble  she  had  grown  so  humble 
that  she  'd  even  stoop,  as  she  considered  it,  to  ask 
advice  of  him,  "is  only  jist  the  wan  that  ye  yersilf 
must  care  for  if  it  do  be  possible  for  ye  to  care 
for  annythin '  at  all  at  all,  excipt  yersilf.  The  wan 
that  I'll  be  afther  askin'  ye  to  help  me  do  for," 
utter  helplessness  had  superseded,  every  other 
expression  on  her  poor  old  face,  "is  only  jist  the 
swate,  an'  clane,  an'  good,  an'  innercint  young 
gurrhl  that  ye've  been  afther  tachin'  ever  since 
she  was  a  wee  wan." 

She  stopped  then,  not  so  much  because  she  had 
finished  what  she  had  to  say  as  because  what 
she  had  already  said  had  been  too  much  for  her  to 
bear  without  the  shedding  of  some  tears.  The 
corners  of  her  apron  were  in  evidence  and  as  she 
wiped  first  one  dim  eye  and  then  the  other,  the 
heart  of  him  who  watched  her  softened,  and  for 
the  first  time  during  their  long  and  exceedingly 
stormy  acquaintance,  the  finer  feeling  that  his 
excessive  self-admiration  seemed  sometimes 
almost  entirely  to  obliterate  took  such  complete 
possession  of  him  that  he  sincerely  pitied  and 
desired  to  bolster  up  this  weaker  mortal.  With 
this  benevolent  and  for  him  unusual  intention  he 
said, 

' '  I  did  not  know  that  the  young  lady  was  in  need 
of  anyone 's  assistance.  She  seems  to  me  in  every 
way  quite  capable  and  eminently  able  to  attend  in 
dependently  and  successfully  to  her  own  affairs. 
Of  course,  if  I  could  help  in  any  way,"  he  added, 
for  the  stricken  look  was  deepening  on  the  old 
woman's  face,  "I  should  be  glad,  and  for  that 
matter  proud,  to  do  so.  For  a  pedagogue,  no  mat 
ter  w^hat  position  he  may  hold  in  life,  even  if  he 
should  be  looked  upon  or  even  treated  as  a  menial, 
has  always  the  deepest  interest  in  and  the  most 


72  GROUNDED 

profound  desire  for  the  mental  and  moral  ad 
vancement  of  his  pupil.  And,  so  my  good  woman, ' ' 
relaxing  a  little  the  stiffness  of  his  attitude  and 
relinquishing  the  oratorical  tone,  "let  me  know, 
if  you  can  do  so,  in  what  way  I  can  serve  the  dear 
young  lady  upon  whose  education  I  have  spent  a 
great  deal  of  my  valuable  time." 

Old  Margaret,  having  secured  once  more  the 
conversational  floor,  immediately  took  advantage 
of  the  opportunity  offered. 

"It  do  be  seemin'  that  if  we,"  acknowledging 
the  existence  of  the  partnership  that  they  had 
tacitly  entered  into,  "don't  be  afther  doin'  some- 
thin'  phutty  quick —  '  for  while  he  had  been  talk 
ing  it  had  been  borne  on  her  that  she  might  find  a 
selfish  motive  for  him  to  act  on,  after  all — "ye 
won't  be  afther  havin'  anny  pupeel  to  be  tachin' 
yer  highfalutin  notions  til!  For  whin  Miss  laves 
this  house,  an*  if  we  don't  be  afther  sthoppin'  her 
she'll  do  that  same,  she  won't  be  very  apt  to  take 
you  wid  her,  no  matter  how  much  of  a  piddler's 
gob  ye  be ! " 


XIV 

Wihile  Barney  McCoy  was  studious  and  philoso 
phical,  he  was  at  the  same  time,  astute  and 
practical.  Being  always  self-centred,  these  mental 
characteristics  were  particularly  active  where 
anything  concerning  himself  was  to  be  considered. 
He  looked  down  on  even  while  he  pitied  Bettina's 
old  nurse,  and  yet  her  statement  with  regard  to 
the  change  that  might  soon  take  place  in  his  own 
affairs  found  a  lodgment  in  his  inner  conscious 
ness.  And  relieved  of  her  irritating  presence,  he 
thought  the  matter  over,  and  made  a  definite 
decision,  this  mental  resolve  was  succeeded  by 
precision  and  dispatch.  One  day  not  long  after 
the  tutor  had  had  his  eyes  opened,  he  skillfully, 
and  at  the  expense  of  some  little  exertion,  man 
aged  to  secure  for  himself  an  hour  or  more  of 
Kurk  Kaleen's  time.  The  manner  in  which  the 
young  man  attempted  to  evade  strengthened  the 
older  one  in  his  determination  to  have  a  private 
interview.  Having  at  length  overcome  and  suc 
cessfully  set  aside  the  opposition  that  he  met,  the 
pedagogue  took  up  his  favorite  position  in  the 
centre  of  the  library,  for  with  diplomatic  tact 
and  strategy  he  had  staged  the  little  drama  amid 
surroundings  that  were  familiar  to  him,  with  the 
weapons  in  the  use  of  which  he  was  adept  near 
at  hand. 

"My  dear  young  friend,  from  certain  indications 
that  have  come  under  my  observation,  I  am  in 
clined  to  believe  that  you  are  now  or  soon  will  be 
a  suitor  for  the  hand  of  the  young  lady  to  whose 
education  I  have  been  devoting  a  great  deal  of  my 

73 


74  GROUNDED 

valuable  time  during  the  past  several  years." 
Having  made  the  foregoing  statement  he  paused 
with  the  intention  of  observing  what  effect  his 
words  had  had,  and  feeling  satisfied  after  a 
cursory  examination  of  his  companion's  count 
enance,  continued  with  even  more  confidence.  "I 
wonder  if  you — having  come  here  from  the  outside 
world,  where  of  necessity  different  standards  than 
those  that  are  militant  here  govern  the  general 
conduct — can  understand  the  position  that  I,  a 
man  of  education  and  refinement  have  been  obliged 
to  occupy  here  among  those  whose  mental  attain 
ments  have  been,  almost  directly,  in  contrast  to 
my  own !  I  suppose, ' '  switching,  at  this  juncture 
from  his  customary  line  of  argument, ' '  that  if  you 
succeed  in  winning  the  heart  and  hand  of  the 
young  lady  whose  education  I  have  been  conduct 
ing,"  the  expression  of  firm  determination  sweep 
ing  over  Kurk  Kaleen's  handsome  features  had 
its  influence  upon  the  words  that  followed,  in  fact 
it  was,  almost  directly  the  cause  of  them,  "she 
will  undoubtedly  need  as  your  wife,  occupying  a 
position  in  society  to  which  she  will  be  entirely 
unaccustomed,  the  advice  and  intellectual  guidance 
of  someone  who  is  not  only  familiar  with  the 
ways  of  the  world,  but  also  well-versed  in  the 
courtesies  and  amenities  of  polite  society."  His 
cheeks  were  puffing  out  and  his  color  was  greatly 
heightened.  "And  I  wish  to  ask  you,  as  man  10 
man  where  you  could  find — anywhere  upon  the 
earth — a  person  who  is  so  eminently  well-fitted 
both  in  theory  and  practice  to  act  in  the  capacity 
of  private  and  social  secretary  in  the  interests, 
and  for  the  benefit,  of  the  lady  who  will  be," 
for  he  had  decided  to  throw  to  the  four  winds  any 
scruples  he  once  had,  having  lost  sight  of  every- 


GROUNDED  75 

thing  except  his  own  possible  advantage,  "your 
wife — as  the  one  who  now  stands  before  you?" 

After  his  oratorical  and  dramatic  question  the 
little  man  continued  to  stand  at  attention  in  the 
exact  center  of  the  room,  like  an  animated  inter 
rogation  point.  At  length  the  one  he  had  ad 
dressed,  seeing  no  way  by  which  he  could  diplo 
matically  avoid  answering,  and  feeling  that  in  an 
affair  of  the  importance  of  the  one  under  consid 
eration  even  the  assistance  of  the  self-blinded 
tutor  was  not  to  be  despised,  cautiously  began : 

"My  wife  herself  would  of  course  decide  all 
such  matters  as  the  one  to  which  you  refer  so  that 
I  could  not  definitely  at  this  time  engage  your 
services  no  matter  how  much  I  might  feel  dis 
posed  to  do  so.  However,  I  might  say,"  he  went 
on,  realizing  more  and  more  that  it  would  be  a 
good  idea  to  have  Barney  McCoy  on  his  side, 
"that  so  far  as  I  am  concerned  I  see  no  objec 
tion  to  the  arrangement  that  you  propose;  in 
fact,  the  more  I  think  of  it  it  seems  to  me  to  be 
very  likely  that  Bettina,"  pronouncing  the  name 
softly  and  slowly,  "would  probably  enjoy  having 
someone  with  whom  she  had  been  more  or  less 
familiar  almost  all  her  life,  as  a  part  of  her  new 
home." 

He  had  rambled  on  with  the  general  idea  of  at 
least  not  offending  the  one  whom  he  was  address 
ing,  and  had  no  idea  of  the  actual  effect  that  his 
own  apparent  acceptance  of  the  offer  had  had 
upon  the  author  of  it.  The  latter 's  chest  had  been 
protruding  more  and  more,  until  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  young  man's  remarks  it  had  swollen  to  such 
proportion  that  the  owner  seemed  either  about 
to  burst  or  to  tip  over  backwards.  Stepping  brisk 
ly  forward  as  Kurk  Kaleen  ceased  speaking,  he 
grasped  the  astonished  young  man's  reluctant 


76  GROUNDED 

hand  and  holding  it  warmly,  almost  affectionately, 
in  his  own,  declared: 

"This  is  an  unexpected,  although  at  the  same 
time  an  often  longed-for  pleasure!  My  dear 
young  friend,  you  see  before  you  a  man  who  has 
within  the  last  few  moments  reached  the  highest 
pinnacle  of  his  earthly  ambition!  It  has  always 
been  my  hope  even  when  assailed  by  the  canker 
of  adversity,  even  when  I  have  been  obliged  to 
occupy,  although  only  temporarily,  an  almost 
menial  position — that  some  time  I  would  meet  and 
exchange  confidences  with  a  human  being  who 
would  at  least  in  some  slight  degree  approach  the 
intellectual  plane  that  has  had  the  honor  to  sup 
port  my  separate  and  independent  individuality. 
My  dear  young  friend/'  he  ended,  still  clinging 
to  the  hand  that  the  young  man  was  constantly 
but  carefully  attempting  to  withdraw,  "do  not 
despair!  Although  the  time  may  seem  to  you 
today  to  be  far  distant,  although  your  heart  may 
almost  fail  you,  do  not  allow  the  flame  of  hope  to 
die  within  your  breast.  For  it  may  be — when,  of 
course  I  cannot  say — that  through  intimate,  daily 
association  and  mutual,  intelligent  endeavor,  I 
may  be  able — although  doubtless  at  the  expense 
of  almost  superhuman  energy — to  raise  you,  per 
chance,  to  a  new  level. ' ' 


XV 

Bettina  felt  free  when  occasion  required  her  to 
consult  with  her  father  concerning  matters  that 
would  from  their  nature  be  submitted  to  his  judg 
ment,  but  she  very  seldom  talked  with  him  about 
her  own  personal  affairs.  However,  it  seemed  to 
her  that  anything  that  would  make  as  radical  a 
change  in  the  household  as  her  departure  from  it 
should  at  least  be  mentioned  to  its  natural  and 
nominal,  as  well  as  actual,  head ;  and  the  girl  was 
seriously  considering  what  was  being  almost  con 
stantly  forced  upon  her  attention.  Her  old  nurse, 
in  case  she  herself  had  been  disturbed  by  one  of 
her  "distressin^  drames,"  did  not  hesitate  to  ap 
pear  beside  her  wee  wan's  bed  at  any  unknown 
hour  of  the  night,  and  almost  invariably  the  thing 
that  had  crept  in  between  her  and  restful  sleep 
had  something  to  do  with  the  "handsome  an'  al- 
lurin'  "  young  man  whose  visit  to  his  father's 
friend  was  being  prolonged  indefinitely.  While 
Bettina 's  lover  himself  did  not  fail  to  take  advan 
tage  of  every  opportunity  to  further  his  own  cause 
so  that  the  young  woman,  even  had  she  desired 
to  do  so,  was  unable  to  remove  from  her  mental 
horizon  the  possibility  of  her  marriage.  She  had 
not  yet  mentioned  it  to  her  father,  although  Kurk 
Kaleen  had  in  his  own  way  informed  her  that  he 
had  given  his  consent  to  their  union.  Hence  one 
morning  with  a  strange  feeling  of  aloofness  from 
her  former  self  and  the  reasons  that  had  hitherto 
prompted  the  infrequent  demands  upon  her  fath 
er's  time,  she  went  to  his  study,  and  finding  him 
alone  and  apparently  unengaged,  seated  herself 

77 


78  GROUNDED 

in  the  chair  that  he  courteously  indicated  and 
without  prelude  or  excuse  began: 

"I  understand,  Father/'  her  sweet  voice  car 
essed  the  title,  "that  you  have  already  been  in 
formed  of  a  possible  change  that  may  soon  occur, 
and  that  you  have  given  it  your  approval.  My 
going  away  would,  to  some  extent,  affect  your 
daily  life.*' 

He  looked  up  then,  and  as  their  glances  met  he 
saw  within  her  eyes  a  repetition  of  his  own  calm, 
exclusive  mental  attitude  toward  all  that  was 
around  him. 

"Of  course,"  she  went  on  reasonably,  "you 
would  be  relieved  of  much  that  must  be  now,  and 
perhaps  has  often,  been  more  or  less  a  burden  to 
you.  With  me  away,"  the  smile  that  rested  on 
her  features  was  a  little  forced,  "you  would  not 
need  a  tutor  or  a  nurse,  and  I  have  been  wonder 
ing  whether,  if  I  should  decide  to  go,  I  could  take 
Margaret  with  me ;  or  if  you  would  desire  to  keep 
her  here  so  that  she  might  continue  the  little 
household  duties  that  she  has  for  years  considered 
to  be  her  own." 

She  stopped  and  her  father,  leaning  forward, 
his  forehead  on  his  hand,  looked  down  as  if  ab 
sorbed  in  earnest  thought.  At  length,  as  if  he 
had  come  to  some  definite  conclusion,  he  raised 
his  head  and  regarded  his  daughter,  who  in  turn 
was  patiently  and  expectantly  waiting. 

' '  Bettina,  I  have  given  my  sanction  to  the  offer 
of  marriage  that  Kurk  Kaleen  has  made  because 
so  far  as  I  can  see  he  is  in  every  way  fitted  to  be 
your  husband.  You  yourself,  without  let  or  hin 
drance,  and  without  undue  influence  one  way  or 
the  other,  must  decide  as  to  whether  at  this  time 
you  desire  to  marry.  And  if  so  whether  or  not 
you  would  wish  to  marry  him.  There  is  no  one 


GROUNDED  79 

else  who  is  wise  enough  or  who,  so  far  as  that  goes, 
possesses  the  right,  to  settle  such  a  question  as 
this.  The  matrimonial  experience  of  one  person, 
<pr  for  that  matter  of  any  number  of  persons,  is 
no  criterion,  for  each  person  has  his  individual 
characteristics  and  the  union  of  any  two  sets  of 
personal  peculiarities  may  or  may  not  be  fortu 
nate.  Prejudices  and  superstitious  notions,"  he 
continued,  for  old  Margaret's  whirlwind  opposi 
tion  to  the  proposed  marriage  had  affected  him 
somewhat,  although  in  her  presence  he  had  not  ad 
mitted  the  fact,  *  *  should  be  entirely  set  aside  when 
considering  a  question  as  serious  as  the  one  we 
.are  discussing.  But,  as  I  have  already  mentioned, 
your  action  or  refusal  to  act  is  something  for  you, 
and  you  alone,  to  decide  upon.  As  to  taking  your 
old  nurse  with  you  in  case  you  conclude  to  enter 
a  home  of  your  own,  she  would  without  doubt  wish 
to  accompany  you  wherever  you  would  go,  and  as 
you  have  almost  invariably  humored  her  slightest 
whim,  it  is  very  likely  that  old  Margaret  O'Keefe 
would  follow  in  your  footsteps.  So,  my  daughter, 
I  leave  this  matter  entirely  in  your  hands,  for  it 
concerns  you  as  deeply  and  intimately  as  it  can 
concern  no  one  else." 

Realizing  that  he  would  not  in  any  way  assist 
her  in  making  her  momentous  decision,  and  feel 
ing  she  thoroughly  understood  the  position  he  had 
taken,  the  girl  arose  and  going  near  him,  stood 
beside  his  chair  and  looked  calmly  and  deliber 
ately  at  him.  This  was  an  attitude  that  she  had 
many  times  assumed  when,  as  a  little  child,  she 
had  been  sent  by  her  old  nurse  to  say  good-night. 
So  she  stood  now,  a  woman,  it  is  true,  and  yet 
as  much  a  little  child  in  very  many  ways  as  she 
had  ever  been.  Her  isolated  life,  her  utter  lack  of 
experience  as  girls  of  her  age  have  almost  always 


80  GROUNDED 

had,  her  freedom  from  the  influences  of  associa 
tions  with  anyone  except  her  father — all  these  and 
many  other  unusual,  coiitribubting  conditions 
combined  to  make  her  morally  a  child-like  woman, 
one  whose  heart  was  free  from  guile,  hypocrisy 
or  any  foul  uncleanliness.  Her  tastes  led  her 
where  fair  flowers,  in  nature  and  in  literature, 
were  blooming,  where  noble  thoughts  were  spread 
in  language  that  she  understood,  upon  the  pages 
of  the  book.  And  he  who  sat  there  in  that  chair 
observed  that  this  was  so.  Yet  he  did  not  say 
the  things  he  might  have  regarding  the  great 
change  that  she  was  contemplating ;  he  did  not  ask 
her  if  she  loved  the  man  to  whom  he  had  given 
his  own  consent  provided  she  gave  hers;  he  did 
not  try  to  take  her  mother's  place,  to  frankly  talk 
with  her.  She  did  not  understand  what  marriage 
meant  and  he  could  not  have  told  her  what  it 
meant  if  he  had  tried.  And  so  Bettina  Wane  stood 
there  beside  her  father's  chair,  a  little  child  and 
yet  a  woman,  and  said  to  him : 

"I  want  to  ask  you  one  thing,  Father,  before  I 
go — for  it  may  be  that  I  shall  go. ' '  Two  pairs 
of  steady  eyes  were  gazing,  one  into  the  other. 
"Is  it  because  my  dear  young  mother  died  in 
bringing  me  into  the  world  that  you  have  never 
cared  for  me?" 

He  threw  his  folded  arms  upon  the  table,  bowed 
his  head  upon  them,  and  sadly,  in  a  muffled  voice 
she  heard  him  say: 

"Bettina,  my  poor  child — I  do  not  know!" 


XVI 

There  is  in  human  life  a  more  or  less  symmetri 
cal  sequence  of  events.  This  sequence  seems  to 
be  inevitable,  and  is  almost  always  clothed  in 
mystery.  What  sometimes  seems  a  separate,  in 
dividual  circumstance  is  often  really  the  result  of 
what  has  gone  before.  It  is  not  always  possible 
to  trace  preliminary  proceedings  that  lead  up  to 
and  cause  what  seem  to  be  mere  happenings,  for 
human  beings  are  but  finite,  with  intellectual  limi 
tations  that  render  them  incapable  of  following 
the  infinitesimal  ramifications  which — as  imper 
vious  to  the  meddlesome  manipulations  of  mortals 
as  are  the  gossamer  threads  of  sunbeams — fit  into 
each  other  and  with  eventual  equalization  govern 
earthly  affairs. 

Nature 's  laws  partake  sufficiently  of  the  omnip 
otence  of  Him,  Who,  in  the  beginning,  put  them  in 
motion,  so  that  they  cannot  with  impunity  be  set 
aside  by  those  who  come  beneath  their  ruling. 
The  breaking  of  any  one  of  nature 's  laws,  particu 
larly  if  one  individual  infringes  even  slightly  upon 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  another,  brings  about 
its  own  consequential  punishment,  although  the 
latter  may  be  long  delayed. 

Kurk  Kaleen  decided  that  he  wanted  and  must 
have,  regardless  of  whatever  might  attempt  to  in 
terfere,  complete  possession  of  the  fair  young 
girl  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  man  and  with 
the  sanction  of  the  church.  He  took  into  account 
his  own  desires  first  and  foremost  for  his  own 
desires  were  powerful  and  he  had  given  them 
almost  invariably  free  rein,  so  that  they  had 

81 


82  GROUNDED 

-     v  •    -«•         .-— .  -y^/      , 

grown  stronger  as  he  had  grown  older,  until  they 
really  ruled  his  life.  These  mainsprings  that 
moved  him  to  action  were  not  always  ignoble,  or 
base ;  had  they  been  so,  the  innocent  and  unsoph 
isticated  charms  of  face  and  form  and  mind  of 
the  daughter  of  his  father's  old  friend  would  not 
have  appealed  to  him  just  as  they  did.  But  he 
would  not  have  longed  to  hold  her  in  his  arms  and 
kiss  her  virgin  lips,  as  he  had  never  longed  for 
anything  before;  he  would  not  have  been  willing 
to  sacrifice  his  own  ambitions  in  order  to  at 
tain  to  the  position  that  he  coveted;  he  would 
not  have  looked  forward  with  joy  and  glad 
ness  to  the  time  when  he  could  take  the  one  who 
once  had  been  Bettina.  Wane  into  his  former  home, 
among  his  old-time  friends,  and  introduce  her  as 
his  chosen  earthly  companion.  He  had  always 
been,  since  he  had  reached  the  age  of  manhood, 
both  "handsome  an'  allurin',"  and  had  been 
sought  after  both  by  managing  mothers  and  by  the 
ones  they  managed.  Although  his  heart  had  been 
more  than  once  deeply  touched,  it  had  not  gone 
entirely  beyond  his  own  control  until  he  had  vis 
ited  the  large  and  well-selected  library  of  Walter 
Wane. 

The  fact  that  Bettina  kept  him  at  a  distance, 
even  when  she  was  alone,  only  made  him  more 
persistent  and  more  determined.  One  day,  after 
having  arranged  matters  to  his  own  satisfaction 
with  reference  to  the  many  hindrances  that  had 
been  often  in  his  way,  he  was  seated  comfortably 
and  very  cosily  upon  the  couch,  among  the  many 
cushions  where  he  had  first  seen  the  girl.  He 
had  expected  that  she  wrould  soon  come  into  the 
room.  She  was  surprised  to  find  him  there,  for 
she  was  not  acquainted  with  the  plans  that  he 
had  made,  and  startled,  stepped  back  quickly  as 


GROUNDED  83 

if  about  to  go  away,  her  blue  eyes  wide  and  won 
dering.  He  rose  at  once  and  intercepted  her,  plac* 
ing  himself  between  her  and  the  door.  She  looked 
around  as  if  to  find  some  way  by  which  she  might 
escape. 

Observing  closely  the  expression  of  her  face,  the 
young  man  said,  "Dear  little  girl,  do  not  be 
afraid !  You  are  safer  here — alone  with  me — than 
in  any  other  position  you  might  occupy,  because 
you  are  with  one  who  would  defend  you  with  his 
life.  You  are  with  one  who  loves  you  more  than 
he  loves  memories  of  the  past,  all  that  he  is  pos 
sessed  of  now,  all  his  hopes  and  his  ambitions  for 
the  future — more  than  the  whole  wide  world  with 
out  you — more,  far  more,  than  his  own  life,  him 
self.  "  He  came  a  little  nearer  and  placed  the 
fingers  of  one  hand  gently,  reverently,  upon  her 
shoulder,  and  looked  down  into  her  face.  For  a 
long  moment  they  stood  thus,  these  two  young 
beings  with  almost  all  of  human  life  before  them, 
and  they  knew  that  they  were  standing  at  a  door 
which,  once  passed  through,  would  close  and  shut 
from  them  forever  what  they  were  then.  The  girl 
shrank  back,  as  if  she  did  not  wish  to  pass  beyond 
but  the  man  moved  yet  a  little  nearer  as  he  whis 
pered,  "Do  not  be  afraid,  Bettina.  I  love  you, 
and  I  know  that  you  love  me ! ' ' 

Bettina  Wane  was  every  whit  a  woman,  strong, 
affectionate,  warm-blooded,  one  in  whom  the 
latent  forces  of  her  nature  had  rested  pure,  un 
tarnished,  unaroused.  She  herself  had  no  concep 
tion  of  the  passionate,  electrical  attraction  that 
lay  dormant,  without  form  or  feeling,  in  her 
nerves,  and  in  her  blood,  beneath  her  soft,  smooth 
skin,  within  the  deep,  unfathomed  pools  of  blue 
that  were  her  eyes,  in  the  vibrant,  trembling  tones 
of  her  young  voice — and  all,  all  waited  only  for 


84  GROUNDED 

answering  forces  of  equal  intensity  to  become  at 
once  things  of  life,  masterful  and  mystifying, 
sweeping  every  other  sentiment,  principle  or  feel 
ing  on  and  ever  on  before  its  own  resistless  might. 
This  that  was  within  her  had  never  been  depleted 
or  in  any  way  misused,  and  when  it  was  for  the 
first  time  in  all  her  strong  unsullied  life  called 
forth,  it  became  at  once  the  paramount  and  con 
trolling  power  of  her  whole  being.  She  did  not 
know  the  meaning  of  this  force,  nor  where  the 
tide  would  carry  her,  but  she  did  know  that  when 
Kurk  Kaleen  whispered  to  her  not  to  be  afraid 
she  had  never  felt  as  safe,  as  buoyant  and  as  free 
as  she  did  then. 

His  arms  went  round  her  and  one  of  his  strong, 
supple  hands  was  placed  beneath  her  chin,  so  that 
her  face  was  raised  to  meet  his  own,  pale  intense, 
compelling,  bending  above  it.  Her  sweet,  soft 
lips  that  never  yet  had  touched  the  lips  of  any 
man  were  quivering  beneath  his  virile  mouth.  Her 
lover  half  lifted  and  half  led  the  girl  until  she  was 
reclining  on  the  couch,  among  the  many  cushions 
that  were  waiting  to  receive  her.  Kurk  Kaleen 
knelt  down  upon  the  floor  before  her,  and  looking 
up  into  her  face  exclaimed: 

' '  You  must  know  now,  Bettlna,  that  we  two  were 
intended  for  each  other!" 

He  bowed  his  head  until  it  rested  on  her  lap, 
and  when  he  felt  her  fingers  on  his  hair  he  knew 
that  she  had  answered  him,  and  that  her  answer 
had  been  yes. 


XVII 

Old  Margaret  and  Bettina  started  out  one  morn 
ing  rather  earlier  than  usual,  for  ever  since  the 
girl  had  indeed  been  a  wee  wan  her  old  nurse 
had  taken  her  out  into  the  morning  air,  believing 
that  through  this  and  other  means  that  she  em 
ployed  her  charge  would  grow  to  be  a  strong  and 
healthy  woman.  As  they  walked  along  the  well- 
known  path  the  younger  woman  looked  search- 
ingly  at  the  one  who  trudged  beside  her.  And 
after  a  few  moments  spent  in  earnest  reflection, 
remarked  as  if  casually: 

"It  may  be,  Margaret,  dear,  that  you  and  I  will 
not  be  traveling  over  this  familiar  road  much 
longer. ' ' 

The  old  woman  cringed  as  if  she  had  received 
a  blow  that,  while  not  unexpected,  was  hard  to 
bear.  But  straightening  up  and  squaring  her  un- 
wieldly  shoulders  as  if  a  heavy  burden  had  been 
laid  upon  them,  she  presently  replied : 

"Wheriver  it  is  that  ye '11  be  afther  goin',  dar- 
lin',  ye '11  foind  auld  Margaret  along  wid  ye.  All 
yer  life  she's  followed  afther  whin  yer  little,  tod- 
dlin'  feet  went  totterin'  an'  slow,  an'  whin  ye 
learned  to  walk  an'  run.  An'  now,  me  own,  I've 
long  been  manin '  to  tell  ye  something  I  have  niver 
mintioned  yit  to  annyone.  Whin  I  was  young  my 
skin  was  only  jist  as  fair  as  yours  be  now.  My 
cheeks  were  always  rosy  an'  I  was  not  so  heavy. 
I  was  only  jist  as  light  and  quick  to  move  as  ye 
are  yersilf.  It  may  seem  quare  to  you,  but  whin 
I  was  as  I've  been  afther  tellin'  ye  I  had  a  lover 
as  handsome  an'  allurin'  as  this  young  man  who's 

85 


86  GROUNDED 

stayin'  here  wid  us.  I  liked  his  looks  an'  liked 
his  ways,  an'  liked  the  things  he  said  til  me  about 
mesilf.  An'  so  wan  day  that  I'll  be  always  well 
remimberin ',  I  went  wid  him  an'  stood  there  by 
the  side  of  him  as  innercint  an'  unbeknownst  as 
iver  anny  ninny  cud;  an'  listened  tremblin'  an' 
afraid,  an '  yit  as  happy  as  a  queen,  til  the  praste. 
An'  niver  did  I  hear  a  single  word  he  said,  but 
whin  he  had  stopped  talkin' — for  a  praste  is  very 
free  wid  words  an'  this  wan  used  that  day  some 
that  have  iver  since  been  dark  to  me — Tim 

0  'Keef  e,  bad  cess  til  him,  grabbed  hold  of  me  wid 
hands  as  soft  and  gin  tie  as  a  cat's  paws  is  whin 
she  is  only  jist  about  to  swallow  down  a  innercint 
an'  unsuspicted  mouse,  an'  says  til  me,  says  Tim 
O'Keefe,  'My  dear,  swate  gurrhl!     My  darlin' 
wife !  An '  that  was  quite  the  wan  last  toime  that 
Tim  O'Keefe  towld  me  I  was  swate  or  yit  his 
darlin'." 

" Margaret,  dear,"  said  Bettina,  pityingly, 
"you've  often  told  me  that  you  are  a  widow; 
your  husband  hust  have  died  while  you  were  still 
quite  young." 

"He  may  be  livin'  yit,  an'  doin'  damage  yit, 
for  all  that  I'll  be  afther  knowin'!  Darlin',"  she 
went  on  tenderly,  looking  with  steadfast  affection 
at  the  girl,  ' '  darlin ',  ye  are  as  innercint  as  I  whin 

1  married  Tim  O'Keefe.     Ye've  niver  had  no 
trainin'  whin  it  comes  to  men,  howiver  much  that 
spalpeen  may  have  taught  ye  about  books.    Tim 
O'Keefe,"  reverting  to  her  own  experience,  "af 
ther  tellin'  me  that  I  was  swate  wint  right  on 
tellin'  gurrhls  that  they  was  swate,  the  same  as 
he'd  been  doin'  before  ever  he  towld  me  that  I 
was  his  darlin'  wife.    An'  wan  day,  afther  there 'd 
been  black  trouble  brewin'  for  some  time  bechune 
us,  he  wint  away.    An  niver  do  I  hope  to  see  his 


GROUNDED  87 

handsome  an'  allurin'  face  again  in  this  world, 
or  in  anny  ither!" 

Bettina,  who  had  never  even  heard  of  such 
"black  trouble/'  hardly  knew  just  what  to  say, 
and  so  they  both  were  silent.  Bonny  came  and 
walked  between  them,  as  silent  as  they.  It  was 
as  if  the  three  were  thinking  over  all  that  had  been 
said  and  trying  to  decide  just  what  to  do.  The 
dog  looked  up  first  at  one  face  and  then  the  other. 
They  had  been  walking  three  abreast  for  some 
time,  when  suddenly  the  hair  upon  the  back  of 
Bonny 's  neck  began  to  stiffen,  and  she  uttered  a 
low,  protesting  growl,  at  the  same  time  changing 
her  position  so  that  Bettina  was  between  old 
Margaret  and  herself.  Then  and  only  then  the 
two  women  heard  a  quick,  light  step  approaching, 
The  girl's  face  grew  as  rosy  as  the  dawn,  and 
although  old  Margaret  did  not  growl  it  could  be 
seen  that  she  too  would  have  been  most  willing 
to  have  done  so.  As  Kurk  Kaleen  came  up  he 
smilingly  advanced  until  he  was  beside  Bettina,  or 
as  nearly  as  he  could  be  with  Bonny  there  between 
them.  It  could  be  seen  that  he  was  much  annoyed 
by  the  dog,  for  he  looked  at  her  and  scowled. 
Then  he  looked  away  and  bit  his  lower  lip.  At 
length  old  Margaret,  mindful  of  this  little  by-play 
and  thoroughly  enjoying  it,  remarked: 

"It  do  be  seemin'  that  we  are  not  used  to  havin' 
gintlemen  aroun',  me  darlin'.  Bonny  niver  pays 
attintion  to  yer  piddler's  gob,"  both  of  the  young 
people  looked  at  her  in  amazement,  but  she,  feel 
ing  that  she  had  referred  to  Barney  McCoy  with 
distant  dignity  because  she  used  her  interpreta 
tion  of  a  title  of  which  he  was  evidently  very 
proud,  went  blithely  on,  "but  thin  she  knows  as 
well  as  I  do  that  he  is  not  a  gintleman." 

The  young  man  had  every  reason  to  believe  that 


88  GROUNDED 

the  girl's  feeling  for  him  was  far  more  than 
friendly,  and  he  ventured  to  voice  a  mild  remon 
strance. 

"Do  you  suppose,  Bettina,  that  this  dog  will 
become  accustomed  to  me,  or  will  you  have  to 
choose  between  us?"  Bonny  knew  that  he'd  re 
ferred  to  her,  and  from  his  manner  also  knew  that 
the  reference  was  not  friendly.  Also  he  had  in 
gratiatingly  come  a  little  nearer  to  her  mistress, 
and  the  dog  displayed  two  unbroken  rows  of 
strong  white  teeth,  and  at  the  same  time  looked 
fiercely  at  him. 

"I  don't  see  how,  Bettina,  if  you  care  for  me 
as  I  believe  you  do,  you  can  tolerate  her  attitude 
toward  me!" 

The  girl  looked  down  at  Bonny,  keeping  pace 
with  her  as  she  had  done  at  some  time  during 
almost  every  day  for  many  years,  and  the  dog 
looked  up,  returning  her  affectionate  regard  with 
interest  as  she  waved  her  plume-like  tail. 

The  girl  was  evidently  perturbed,  and  finally 
she  said:  "I  do  not  understand  why  she  feels 
toward  you  as  she  surely  seems  to.  I  hope  that 
we,"  blushing  shyly,  "will  be  able  to  teach  her 
that  you  are  her  friend  as  well  as  mine.  She  has 
been  with  me  ever  since  she  came  into  this  world 
— and  she  has  never  before  shown  a  decided  an 
tipathy  to  any  human  being.  She  loves  me  dear 
ly  and,"  courageously,  "I  love  her." 

He  came  a  little  nearer  to  Bettina  in  spite  of 
Bonny 's  protest;  and  stretching  out  one  hand  was 
about  to  lay  it  gently  on  her  arm  when  the  collie 
leaped  up  lithely  and  closed  her  teeth  upon  his 
fingers.  Instantly  his  anger  flamed  and  in  a  cold, 
metallic  voice  he  said:  "I  see  that  you  will  have 
to  choose,  Bettina.  I  do  not  think  this  brute  and 
I  will  ever  be  good  friends." 


XVIII 

"It  do  be  seemin',  sir,"  said  old  Mlargaret  one 
day  when  she  had  cornered  Kurk  Kaleen,  "that 
no  matter  how  ye  thry  ye  are  goin'  to  have  a  hard 
job  on  yer  hands  if  ye  iver  do  succeed  in  makin' 
up  wid  Bonny.  A  dog  is  a  quare  creature,  sir. 
I  knew  wan  once  that  took  a  notion  ferninst  a 
man  who  wanted  to  become  a  number  of  the  fam 
ily  that  the  dog  was  in.  The  man  was  careless- 
like  and  didn't  thry  to  make  up  wid  the  dog,  an' 
wan  day,"  carefully  watching  her  victim,  "the 
two  of  thim  come  togither,  the  baith  of  thim  at 
the  same  toime,  to  where  the  one  they  baith  loved 
was  standin'.  The  man  stretched  out  only  wan 
hand, ' '  she  could  see  that  her  listener  was  becom 
ing  more  and  more  interested  in  spite  of  himself, 
"an'  the  dog  grabbed  his  fingers  in  its  mouth. 
An'  from  that  day  the  dog  an'  man  hated  each 
ither  worse  than  poison-ivy,  an'  niver  wud  make 
up  wid  each  ither.  An'  the  reason  of  it,  sir,  was 
only  jist  that  the  dog  had  had  a  taste  of  blood," 
looking  sharply  at  a  scratch  on  the  back  of  the 
young  man's  hand,  "and  there  was  hatred  be- 
chune  the  owner  of  the  blood  an '  the  dog  that  had 
got  a  taste  of  it." 

"Do  you  think,"  the  young  man  asked,  for  he 
had  really  had  a  great  deal  of  anxiety  about  this 
matter, ' '  that  your  young  mistress  will  insist  upon 
taking  this  vicious  brute,"  with  scornful  empha 
sis,  "into  her  new  home  I" 

"Ye  do  be  askin'  the  only  wan  in  all  this  house 
who  cud  be  tellin'  what  ye  want  to  know,  sir." 
Her  questioner  had  pleased  her  for  the  first  time 

89 


90  GROUNDED 

during  their  acquaintance  by  deferring  to  her 
judgment.  "Yis!  I  niver  did  belave,  sir,  in  usin' 
more  words  than  is  essintial.  I  knew  wan  woman 
who  wud  talk  and  talk  and  talk,  and  niver  be 
afther  tellin '  annything  at  all,  at  all.  She  was  an 
auld  woman,  sir,  as  auld  as  I  mesilf — an'  as  I 
have  said  to  me  darlin'  manny  times,  if  age  don't 
bring  ye  sinse,  what  will?" 

"Wjhat  makes  you  think  that  she  will  want  to 
take  the  dog  with  her?  When  a  woman  goes  from 
her  father's  house  she  generally  leaves  behind 
all  her  childish  playthings." 

"Ye  don't  be  afther  knowin'  me  darlin'  yit,  at 
all,  at  all.  Whin  she  says  she  loves  annything  she 
manes  it.  She  told  yersilf,  sir,  whin  I  was  stand- 
in'  by,  that  she  loves  Bonny.  An'  the  dog  loves 
her,  sir,  as  annyone  can  see.  My  girlie's  heart  is 
very  tinder,  sir ;  why,  whin  she  was  not  more  than 
a  wee  wan,  I  wud  sometimes  be  missin'  her  an' 
whin  I'd  foind  her — for  I  niver  rested  widout 
doin'  only  jist  that  same — she'd  be  thryin'  to 
make  some  poor  thing  happier  than  she  thought 
that  it  could  be  widout  her.  She  niver  did  care 
much  for  playthings  like  ither  wee  wans  do,"  go 
ing  to  the  latter  part  of  the  remark  that  she  had 
given  him  time  to  make,  "for  maist  of  thim  as 
soon  as  they  can  grab  will  shake  a  rattle  or  pound 
on  annything  that  they  can  reach,  to  make  a  noise. 
For  they  seem  to  think,  sir,  the  maist  of  wee  wans 
do,  that  they  were  sent  into  this  world  only  jist 
for  divilment  and  throuble,  an'  they  turn  their 
main  attintion  to  the  makin'  of  the  same.  Young 
people  sildom  realize  whin  they  do  be  thinkin'  of 
startin'  up  a  family,  how  many  different  kinds 
of  throuble  bechune  the  wee  wans  an'  theirsilves 
they  do  be  layin'  up.  There  was  a  young  man 
once  who  had  iverything  that  annyone  cud  wish, 


GROUNDED  91 

excipt  one  thing.  He  wint  wan  day  an'  give 
iverything  he  had  for  the  wan  thing  that  he 
wanted,  an'  took  it  home  wid  him.  An'  whin  he 
started  to  take  it  through  his  door  he  saw  that 
there  was  nothing  there  at  all  at  all,  for  ivery 
thing  he  had  he'd  give  for  his  wan  thing.  So  the 
young  man  wint  an'  asked  the  praste  to  tell  him 
what  to  do.  The  praste  attimpted  to  console  him,* 
as  prastes  maist  always  do,  by  findin'  all  the  fault 
wid  him  that  he  could  find ;  he  told  him  iverything 
he'd  done  was  wrong  an'  that  it  was  too  late  to 
make  it  right,  an'  thin  he  told  him  only  jist  to  go 
some\vhere  an'  cross  himsilf,  an'  say  his  prayers 
an'  make  the  best  of  it.  AnT  so,"  she  ended, 
looking  straight  at  Kurk  Kaleen,  who  flinched  and 
looked  away,  ''whin  a  young  man  thinks  that  he 
must  have  a  certain  thing  to  make  him  happy, 
sometimes  the  thing  he  thinks  he  wants  is  only 
jist  the  very  thing  that  will,  whin  it  belongs  til 
him,  take  iverything  he  had  before — away  from 
him  an '  fill  his  life  wid  misery ! ' ' 

But  the  young  man  to  whom  she  spoke  was  dif 
ferently  minded,  as  could  be  seen  by  the  expres 
sion  on  his  face,  and  when  old  Margaret's  almost 
ceaseless  flow  of  utterly  inadequate  and  self- 
repeating  language  stopped,  he  hastened  to  fill  in 
the  pause: 

* '  I  only  wanted  you  to  tell  me  what  you  thought 
about  the  dog.  I  did  not  ask  for  your  opinion  of 
our  marriage  which,"  he  ended,  regarding  her 
with  sternness  not  unmixed  with  animosity,  "will 
very  soon  take  place." 

Defeat,  and  resignation  to  what  she  could  not 
change  were  plainly  written  on  the  poor  old 
woman's  flabby  features.  They  visibly  sagged 
down,  while  her  poor  old  heart  was  evidently 
shriveled  by  the  white-hot  javelin  that  her  tor- 


92  GROUNDED 

mentor  gladly  thrust  into  it;  and  he  twisted  it 
around  within  the  wound  that  he  had  made  by 
adding  cruelly:  "My  wife  will  not  be  apt  to  take 
into  the  home  that  I  will  make  for  her  anything 
that  she  has  here,  as  I  am  well  prepared  to  fur 
nish  her  with  all  that  she  will  need. ' ' 

But  he  had  gone  too  far  with  the  old  nurse ;  her 
motherly  instincts  were  up  in  arms  at  once.  The 
fear  and  weakness  that  had  quite  concealed  her 
courage  left  her  face  and  falling,  as  if  it  had  been 
but  a  mask,  revealed  the  latent  fierceness  that  the 
wild  things  of  the  forest  feel  when  danger  is 
threatening  their  young.  Rising  to  her  feet,  she 
advanced  heavily,  determinedly  upon  him,  her 
arms  akimbo,  her  dim  blue  eyes  ablaze : 

"There  do  be  wan  thing  that  me  darlin'  will 
take  wid  her  whereiver  she  may  go,  no  matter 
who  or  what  may  be  wid  her,  as  long  as  this  old 
heart  that  ye  have  thried  to  break  kapes  batin'! 
There  do  be  wan  thing  that  will  always  stand 
bechune  her  an'  annything  that  thries  to  do  her 
harm — even  wid  her  own  consent!  Me  poor  wee 
wan  is  so  innercint,  so  clane,  an'  swate  an'  un- 
suspicted  that  she  might  be  afther  walkin'  right 
straight  intil  a  trap!  But  I,"  now  she  sobbed, 
"will  go  along  wid  her  no  matter  what  she  walks 
intil!  An'  thin,"  she  cried,  "bad  cess  til  him, 
whoiver  he  may  be — if  he  do  be  prepared  to  fur 
nish  her  wid  coachmen  an'  wid  footmen,  an'  wid 
kerridges  an'  coats  of  arms — if  he  should  iver 
make  me  poor  girl  suffer ! ' ' 


XIX 

One  day  after  Walter  Wane  and  his  visitor  had 
been  engaged  in  earnest  conversation  for  some 
time  concerning  various  matters,  the  latter  sud 
denly  and  yet  with  evident  premeditation  said : 

' '  Sir,  I  wish  to  apprise  you  formally  of  the  fact 
that  your  daughter  has  given  her  consent  to  our 
marriage." 

The  older  man  received  the  announcement 
quietly,  and  yet  it  could  be  seen  that  he  was  deep 
ly  stirred.  Leaning  forward,  he  stretched  out  his 
right  hand,  upon  the  upward-turning  palm  of 
which  his  visitor  immediately  placed  his  own.  The 
two  men  looked  silently  into  each  other's  eyes  for 
a  long  moment;  then  Mr.  Wane  allowed  his  eye 
lids  to  droop  and  with  bowed  head,  in  a  voice  that 
trembled  with  emotion,  said: 

"She  has,  for  twenty  years,  been  the  chief  con 
sideration  of  my  whole  existence.  With  her  elim 
inated  from  it,  the  problem  of  my  life  remains 
indeed  unsolved.  My  being  here  upon  the  earth 
has  always  been  to  me  a  mystery;  my  daughter's 
care  and  education  were  duties  plainly  placed 
upon  me  and  insofar  as  I  have  been  able,  I  have 
performed  them.  With  her  marriage  these  duties 
come  automatically  to  an  end,  although  of  course 
I  should  always  be  willing  to  consult  with  her 
concerning  the  conduct  of  her  life.  But  the  daily 
routine  that  has  gone  on  here  for  years,  for  her 
sake,  will  cease  when  she  leaves  my  home  to  enter 
yours.  This  naturally  will  affect  me  greatly,  so 
much  so,"  he  ended,  slumping  down  in  his  chair, 
so  that  he  suddenly  appeared  prematurely  old  and 

93 


94  GROUNDED 

feeble,  "that  I  cannot  now  determine  how  I  shall 
be  able  to  proceed  at  all." 

Kurk  Kaleen  regarded  his  companion  with 
wonder,  for  he  had  not  been  prepared  to  witness 
such  a  display  of  emotion  on  the  part  of  the  re 
served  and  almost  taciturn  man.  At  last,  as  if 
wishing  to  brighten  the  prospect  ahead  of  the 
older  man,  he  declared: 

"We  shall  have  need  of  your  companionship  and 
advice  without  doubt  very  often,  for  we  are  both 
young  and  in  many  ways  entirely  inexperienced. ' ' 

The  older  man  smiled  sadly,  as  if  he  fully  un 
derstood  the  attitude  the  other  had  assumed,  and 
the  reason. 

' '  Since  my  daughter 's  birth  my  own  experience 
has  not  extended  very  far  beyond  the  walls  of  my 
home.  Prior  to  that  event,  however,  I  mingled 
rather  widely  with  my  fellowmen,  having  as  an 
incentive  the  carrying  on  of  a  study  in  which  at 
the  time  I  was  much  interested,  a  study  that  even 
now  occasionally  I  long  to  complete.  In  order  to 
gratify  this  studious  desire  a  great  deal  of  travel 
ing  was  necessary,  both  in  my  own  country  and 
beyond.  In  this  way  my  acquaintance  with  human 
nature  became  more  extensive  than  it  would  other 
wise  have  been  and  I  was  able,  almost  at  a  glance, 
to  divide  men  into  certain  classes  with  such  ac 
curacy  that  I  was  very  seldom  deceived  in  them 
upon  further  acquaintance.  However,  as  you  are 
well  aware,  it  is  the  exception  that  proves  the  rule, 
.and  so  it  was  in  my  own  case.  After  years  de 
voted  to  the  study  to  which  I  have  referred,  I  was 
enabled  to  perceive,  far  in  advance  of  me,  vast, 
apparently  unlimited  vistas  of  thought  through 
which,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  I  might  wander. ' ' 

The  young  man  regarded  his  host  with  the  re 
spect  to  which,  as  he  had  long  understood,  he  was 


GROUNDED  95 

entitled.  It  had  been  explained  to  him  that  the 
father  of  the  woman  he  was  about  to  marry  had 
sacrificed,  smothered,  or  at  any  rate  held  in  check, 
a  most  absorbing  and  decidedly  worthy  ambition 
—in  the  pursuit  of  which  there  was  very  little  com 
petition  on  account  of  the  strenuous  and  unusual 
preparation,  as  well  as  subsequent  exertion, 
necessary — in  order  to  overlook  the  development 
of  the  life  for  which  the  woman  he  loved  had 
given  hers.  As  he  looked  at  his  companion,  the 
clear,  strong  light  that  is  the  light  of  illuminating 
understanding  broke  in  upon  him  and  glorified 
the  vision  of  his  inner  consciousness,  so  that  he 
realized  as  he  had  never  done  before  what  that 
long-suppressed  and  closely  shut-in  ambition  had 
meant  to  the  lonely,  self -disciplining  student.  With 
the  wider  knowledge  that  had  just  been  bestowed 
upon  him  came  also  a  deeper  sympathy  that  went 
below  his  own  desires,  and  stirred  within  his  na 
ture  feelings  of  which  he  had  never  before  been 
conscious.  Moved  by  these  masterful  and  hither 
to  unknown  forces,  he  laid  one  hand  over  the  hand 
of  his  host  as  it  rested  on  the  arm  of  his  chair, 
and  without  any  thought  of  possible  results  for 
himself,  in  a  low  and  earnest  tone  of  voice  said: 

"It  may  be  that  these  years  of  seemingly  en 
forced  quiet  and  almost  utter  solitude  were  as 
necessary  to  the  perfection  and  ultimate  comple 
tion  of  the  work  upon  which  your  youthful  energy 
was  expended  as  were  the  years  of  activity  that 
preceded  them." 

Mr.  Wane  leaned  forward  as  the  other  man,  re 
moving  his  hand  from  his,  sat  once  more  erect, 
and  placing  the  tips  of  his  fingers  upon  his  vis 
itor's  knee,  took  up  the  thread  of  conversation 
where  the  latter  had  dropped  it: 

"It  is  true  that  psychical  advancement  is  so 


96  GROUNDED 

mystifying  that  it  is  quite  beyond  the  comprehen 
sion  of  the  ordinary,  indifferently  trained  intel 
lect.  It  may  be,  as  you  have  hinted,  I  had  gained 
all  that,  for  the  time  being,  I  was  fitted  to  receive 
from  almost  constant  contact  with  my  fellow-men 
— that  I  needed  time  for  deep  reflection  upon  what 
had  already  come  under  my  observation ;  also,  that 
it  had  become  necessary  for  me  to  fix  my  atten 
tion  upon  my  own  inner  consciousness — simply 
make  a  study  of  myself.  But  why  a  mentality  in 
every  way  as  capable  and  eager  as  my  own  had  to 
be  obliterated  so  far  as  earthly  affairs  are  con 
cerned  has  been  to  me  a  horrifying  and  unanswer 
able  question. " 

Kurk  Kaleen  became  aware,  and  even  then  but 
dimly,  of  the  depth  and  vitality  of  an  exclusive, 
all-absorbing  material  love.  It  was  in  many  ways 
beyond  his  comprehension,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  he  himself  was  at  the  time  experiencing  an 
entirely  new  and  strange,  to  him,  humility.  He 
was  moved  to  speak  intimately. 

"The  fact  that  your  daughter,  sir,  without 
doubt  inherited  many  of  your  unexampled  traits 
of  character,  as  well  as  your  noble  and  uplifting 
tendencies  toward  the  contemplation  of  higher 
and  broader  fields  of  thought,  may  to  some  extent 
explain  the  self-effacing,  reverential,  even  ador 
ing  devotion  that  she  has,  much  to  my  surprise, 
aroused  in  me." 


XX 

After  the  return  of  Barney  McCoy,  Bettina 
again  began  to  study.  In  fact,  the  mere  presence 
of  the  fussy,  oneidea'd  pedagogue  inhibited  the 
devotion  of  that  portion  of  her  time  to  any  other 
purpose.  He  always  mapped  out  for  his  pupil 
a  yearly  course  of  study,  which  he  invariably  sub 
mitted  to  his  principal,  Bettina 's  father,  for  suit 
able  provision  for  an  annual  vacation,  he  system 
atically  and  strenuously  insisted  upon  following  it 
out,  letter  by  letter,  precept  by  precept.  This 
method  established  a  daily  routine  which,  as  he 
believed,  laid  the  foundation  for  healthy,  vigor 
ous  mental  growth,  not  only  because  it  regularly 
added  new  and  practical,  as  well  as  idealistic 
knowledge  to  that  already  laid  away  in  the  men 
tal  storehouse  of  the  person  under  training,  but 
also  because  in  this  way  the  forces  of  the  mind 
were  almost  continually  being  called  into  action. 
In  spite  of  the  knowledge  he  had  already  received, 
with  regard  to  the  girl's  probable  marriage — 
since  his  employer  had  not  yet  notified  him  that  he 
no  longer  required  his  services — he  went  on  with 
his  work  as  he  had  done  for  many  years,  efficient 
ly,  even  if  also  vaingloriously. 

One  day  as  Bettina  quietly  entered  the  library 
where  her  tutor  had  already  established  himself 
at  his  desk,  with  a  long  line  of  ponderous  volumes 
drawn  up  in  front  of  him,  she  observed  that  he 
was  unusually  nervous  and  absent-minded,  for 
while  he  acknowledged  her  entrance  by  his  cus 
tomary  curt,  officious  greeting,  he  did  not  follow 
it  up  with  admonitions  as  to  her  memory  on  the 

97 


98  GROUNDED 

work  of  the  preceding  day,  or  even  forecast  the 
work  that  they  were  then  about  to  do.  Instead 
he  gazed  at  her  with  an  anxiety  which  he  was  evi 
dently  trying  to  conceal  beneath  an  air  of  seren 
ity.  She  came  and  stood  beside  his  desk,  as  she 
had  done  on  many  previous  occasions,  waiting  for 
him  to  take  the  initiative  with  regard  to  the  les 
sons  that  she  had  prepared  for  his  inspection. 
The  little  man  was  seemingly  much  perturbed, 
and  very  much  in  doubt ;  so  much  so  that  it  finally 
became  necessary  for  him  to  leave  his  chair  and 
take  up  his  position  in  the  center  of  the  room. 
Here,  having  steadied  himself  as  usual  by  firmly 
taking  hold  of  the  fiery,  pointed  tuft  of  whiskers 
that  grew  in  the  middle  of  his  chin,  he  oratorically 
and  yet  somewhat  hesitatingly  began : 

' '  My  dear  young  lady,  you  are  approaching  an 
important  and  a  decidedly  unique  turning-point 
in  your  life.  Thus  far  in  our  acquaintance  I  have 
been  engaged  solely  in  furthering  your  intellectual 
advancement — and  in  so  doing  I  believe  that  I 
have  served  you  faithfully  and  well.  I  know  that 
I  have  employed  in  this  more  or  less  successful 
labor  the  full  force  of  my  not  inconsiderable  men 
tal  powers,  not  sparing  myself  in  any  way  or  al 
lowing  my  own  tastes  which  naturally  demanded 
what  would  be  entirely  beyond  your  limited  com 
prehension — to  govern  my  selection  of  the  sub 
jects  to  be  brought  under  your  consideration.  I 
natter  myself,  my  dear  young  lady,  that  your  edu 
cation  is  on  a  parity  with  that  of  any  other  person 
of  your  age  and  ability,  even  in  some  ways  supe 
rior  to  it,  for  when  a  man  as  capable  and  erudite 
as  I  devotes  his  entire  time  and  stupendous  energy 
to  any  one  cause,  it  must — even  though  in  itself 
weak  and  inconspicuous — acquire  a  certain  bor 
rowed  dignity  and,  enhanced  by  reflected  glory 


GROUNDED  99 

due  to  continued  association  with  greatness,  be 
come  at  least  in  some  small  degree,  similar  to  the 
one  who  has  sacrificed  himself  in  order  to  advance 
it.  But  in  spite  of  this  pleasing  condition,"  he 
went  on,  with  heightened  color  and  increased  ani 
mation,  "it  will  be  necessary  for  you,  no  matter 
what  position  you  may  occupy  in  your  future  life, 
to  have  always  at  hand  someone  who  thoroughly 
understands  not  only  your  mental  attainments 
but  also  your  individual  characteristics.  This  per 
son  should  be  one  who  has  been  familiar  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  period  of  time  with  all  of  your 
surroundings;  also,  he  should  be  one  who  has 
known  with  some  degree  of  intimacy  your  respect 
ed  father.  Now,  my  dear  young  lady,  although 
such  a  course  would  necessitate  a  great  deal  of 
self-sacrifice  on  my  part,  as  well  as  the  expendi 
ture  of  almost  superhuman  energy,  yet  because  of 
our  long  and  harmonious  association  and  because 
looking  after  your  interests — with  the  exception  of 
those  requiring  menial  service — has  become  a 
matter  of  habit  with  me,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
a  man  of  my  culture  and  refinement  would  not 
naturally  be  expected  to  consent  to  such  a  posi 
tion,  yet  I — Barney  McCoy — here  and  now  offer 
myself  to  you,  my  dear  young  lady,  in  the  capa 
city  of  private  and  social  secretary,  providing,  of 
course,  that  satisfactory  terms  as  to  salary  and 
Jiving  expenses  could  be  settled  upon  between  us." 
During  all  of  this  tirade  Bettina  had  continued 
to  stand  beside  the  desk  of  her  tutor,  expecting 
momentarily  that  either  from  lack  of  words  with 
which  to  express  his  thoughts,  or  from  a  dearth 
of  thoughts  to  put  into  words,  he  would  perforce 
come  to  the  end  of  his  exhortation.  She  had 
grown  accustomed  to  listening  to  his  self-praise, 
and  egotistic  boasting,  and  was  not  surprised,  or 


100  GROUNDED 

even  shocked  by  anything  that  he  had  said  along 
that  line.  But  she  had  certainly  not  been  pre 
pared  through  any  previous  experience  to  hear 
him  intimate  that,  in  some  way  unknown  to  her, 
he  had  become  possessed  of  definite  information 
regarding  the  proposed  change  in  her  future  life. 
This  condition  of  affairs  was  not  pleasing  to  the 
diffident,  retiring  girl.  She  was  confident  that  her 
father  had  not  enlightened  anyone  with  regard  to 
her  possible  marriage,  as  his  reticence  was  equal 
to  if  not  greater  than  her  own ;  that  old  Margaret 
should  confide  in  the  tutor,  even  had  she  been 
made  aware  of  the  facts,  was  entirely  out  of  the 
question.  This  narrowed  the  possible  sources 
through  which  the  information  evidently  possess 
ed  by  her  instructor  could  have  been  gained,  so 
that  the  girl  began  to  suspect  that  her  lover  him 
self  might  have  talked  the  matter  over  with  Bar 
ney  McCoy.  This  suspicion  grew  upon  her  until 
she  finally  determined  to  find  out  the  truth  con 
cerning  it.  Acting  upon  this  determination  she 
said: 

"You  have  been  employed  by  my  father  as  my 
tutor,  and  have  acted  in  that  capacity  for  years. 
Why  do  you  wish  to  change  the  nature  of  your 
work;  what  leads  you  to  think  that  I  need  a  sec 
retary?" 

Fearing  that  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  bringing 
the  matter  to  her  attention  in  just  the  way  he 
had,  and  wishing  to  set  himself  ri^ht  with  her  at 
whatever  cost,  the  little  man,  looKing  keenly  at 
her,  explained : 

"When  a  man  has  been  given  discriminating 
judgment  so  that,  becoming  conscious  of  certain 
premises,  he  will  accurately  and  logically  arrive 
at  the  resulting  conclusion,  he  does  not  need — as 
might  be  the  case  if  he  were  possessed  of  less 


GROUNDED  101 

acumen — to  be  told  that  any  situation  actually 
exists  in  order  to  be  made  aware  of  the  fact.  If, 
added  to  the  mental  condition  already  described, 
a  man  has  had  the  advantage  of  a  wide  and  varied 
social  experience,  he  can  often  see  at  a  glance 
what  would  be  entirely  hidden  from  a  person  of 
less  perspicacity.  I  have  watched,  my  dear  young 
lady,  many  much  more  complicated  situations 
than  the  one  evidently  in  existence  here,  and  so — 
going  from  cause  to  effect — I  feel  as  I  have 
already  said,  that  you  have  reached  a  turning- 
point  in  your  life.  However,"  he  ended,  sudden 
ly  assuming  again  the  air  of  the  pedagogue,  "we 
will  resume  our  regular  work  and  permit  the 
future  to  take  care  of  itself." 


XXI 

Among  the  many  women  with  whom  Kurk 
Kaleen  had  been  upon  terms  of  more  or  less  in 
timacy  prior  to  the  visit  that  he  made  in  his 
father's  stead,  on  his  father's  old  friend,  was  one 
who,  possessed  of  undoubted  personal  charm, 
combined  with  it  the  added  attractiveness  of  be 
longing  to  a  distinguished  and  socially  prominent 
family.  She  had  every  advantage  that  wealth, 
education  and  an  extensive  experience  gained 
through  traveling  among  the  peoples  of  various 
countries  could  give  to  her.  She  was  herself  a 
native  of  another  land  than  the  one  in  which  the 
young  man  met  her,  having  gone  to  England  with 
her  father,  who  occupied  a  recognized  and  respect 
ed  official  position.  Mr.  Burton  was  welcomed 
everywhere,  both  in  business  and  social  circles, 
not  only  because  of  his  own  presence,  which  was 
commanding  and  unusual,  or  of  his  wealth,  which 
equaled  if  it  did  not  exceed  that  of  any  of  his 
acquaintances,  but  also  because  he  represented  as 
consul  the  United  States  of  America.  His  wife 
and  only  daughter  shared  with  him  his  privileges 
and  prestige  and  the  honor  of  meeting  the  Amer 
ican  consul  and  his  family  was  one  that  was  much 
sought  after.  Kurk  Kaleen  considered  himself  as 
very  fortunate  when  a  mutual  friend  introduced 
him  to  them,  and  his  acquaintance  with  Lena  Bur 
ton  soon  ripened  into  friendship.  Those  particu 
larly  interested  in  the  young  couple  frequently  re 
marked  the  probability  of  a  matrimonial  alliance ; 
the  young  man's  father  had  hoped  for  many  rea 
sons  that  his  son  and  the  consul 's  daughter  would 

102 


GROUNDED  103 

be  united  in  marriage,  so  that  Kurk's  letter  an 
nouncing  his  prospective  union  with  the  daughter 
of  his  old  friend  was  a  distinct  shock  as  well  as 
a  keen  disappointment.  So  much  so  that  he  has 
tened  to  send  a  remonstrance  so  pronounced  that 
it  amounted  almost  to  a  protest.  On  receipt  of 
this  the  young  man  immediately  made  arrange* 
ments  to  return  to  his  home,  fearing  that  his 
father  had  become  cognizant  of  other  reasons  than 
those  already  stated  to  his  son  for  his  decided 
objection  to  the  latter 's  marriage  with  Bettina 
Wane.  Before  terminating  his  visit,  however,  he 
made  definite  arrangements  for  the  ceremony  that 
was  to  unite  his  future  life  with  that  of  the  inno 
cent  girl,  reflecting  that  he  could  cancel  them 
should  it  become  necessary  to  do  so  and  desiring 
greatly  to  receive  the  full  benefits  of  the  victory 
he  had  so  dearly  won.  Realizing,  too,  that  a  short 
separation  would  be  apt  to  increase  rather  than 
diminish  the  strong,  magnetic  current  then  estab 
lished  between  his  own  being  and  that  of  the  girl 
whom  he  wished  to  make  his  wife,  he  went  about 
his  preparations  for  departure  deliberately  and 
without  taking  anyone  into  his  confidence  as  to  the 
real  reasons  for  his  going.  On  the  last  morning  of 
his  stay  he  had  a  conference  with  Mr.  Wane  that 
proved  to  be  more  momentous  than,  at  the  time 
seemed  likely.  The  older  man  had  asked  him  to 
come  into  his  study  and,  as  soon  as  they  were 
both  comfortably  seated  announced: 

"I  wish  to  send  through  you  a  verbal  message 
to  your  father."  The  young  man's  face  showed 
that  he  welcomed,  while  he  wondered  at  his 
statement.  "There  is  a  matter  that  will  require 
our  mutual  attention,  and  in  order  that  it  may 
receive  it  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  better  for 
him  to  come  here  to  my  home  than  for  me  to  visit 


104  GROUNDED 

him.  At  the  same  time  I  will  not  insist  upon  this 
exact  arrangement,  but  will  leave  the  place  of  our 
meeting  undetermined,  allowing  him  to  exercise 
his  judgment  in  this  respect.  The  time  however 
must  be  soon,  and  certainly  previous  to  my  daugh 
ter 's  marriage." 

There  was  a  silence  of  some  duration  after  Mr. 
Wane  ceased  speaking.  Both  men  looked  thought 
ful.  At  lenght  the  younger,  regarding  his  host 
gravely,  said: 

''Although  I  am  entirely  ignorant  as  to  the 
nature  of  this  message,  sir,  I  understand  that  it 
is  important  and  shall  deliver  it  verbatim.  I  hope 
to  return  shortly  myself,  and  it  is  possible  my 
father  will  accompany  me.n 

After  that  came  the  leave-taking  with  Bettina, 
almost  tragic  in  its  earnestness.  He  himself  had 
not  known  until  that  time  how  necessary  to  his 
happiness  his  daily  association  with  the  girl  had 
grown.  As  she  in  almost  wild  abandon  clung  to 
him,  not  knowing  why  but  impelled  by  forces 
stronger  than  she,  he  whispered  to  her  softly  and 
yet  with  great  intensity : 

"Dear  little  girl,  it  will  not  be  long  now  until 
I  will  have  the  right  to  claim  you,  utterly.  Your 
life  will  soon  be  joined  to  mine  in  such  a  way  that 
we  need  nevermore,  while  both  live  upon  the  earth, 
endure  the  bitterness  that  is  at  the  same  time  a 
sweet,  and  almost  overpowering  happiness  of 
parting. ' ' 

The  girl  then  raised  her  face  from  his  shoulder, 
and  with  one  soft  white  hand  pushed  gently  back 
a  dark  and  wavy  lock  of  hair  that  drooped  above 
his  brow,  while  with  her  blue  eyes  gazing  directly 
into  his  own,  she  said: 

*  *  I  did  not  know  that  I  could  care  so  much  for 
anyone,  or  anything,  as  I  care — now — for  you !  I 


GROUNDED  105 

have  never  known  what  love  meant  until  you  came 
to  me!  If  you  should  not  return,"  putting  her 
brown  head  down  once  more  upon  his  shoulder, 
'  *  I  think  that  I, ' '  clasping  her  hands  together  be 
hind  his  neck,  should  die !  I  know  that  I  should 
wish  to  do  so." 

He  went  away  as  bravely  as  he  could  and  left 
her  leaning  forward,  with  clasped  hands  and  part 
ed  lips,  gazing  mournfully  after  him. 

Old  Margaret  found  her  so,  and  realizing  how 
she  felt  relieved  the  situation  in  her  own  peculiar 
way : 

"I  do  be  afther  seein'  ye 're  downhearted,  an* 
I  be  minded  how  I  felt  whin  Tim  O'Keefe,  bad 
cess  til  him,  once,  wint  away  an'  left  me  standin' 
only  jist  as  sorry  and  forlorn  as  you  be  now.  It 
seemed  to  me  I  cud  not  live  anither  day  widout 
his  handsome  an'  allurin'  face  to  look  at!  This 
wan  who  has  been  stayin'  here  wid  us  do  be 
remindin'  me  of  Tim  in  manny  ways.  Tim  O'Keefe 
had  only  jist  as  foine  an'  smooth  an  slippery  a 
tongue  as  this  wan  has,  an '  he  had  jist  such  dark, 
allurin'  an'  desateful  eyes  as  this  wan  too,  an' 
whin  he  spoke  to  me  his  voice  was  only  jist  as 
s-a-f-t  as  vilvit  or  a  cat's  fur  be,  the  same  as  this 
wan's  was  whin  he  towld  ye — whatever  it  was  he 
has  jist  been  tellin'  ye.  But  thin,  his  voice  was 
jist  as  different  as  a  voice  cud  be  the  last  toime 
that  he  iver  addrissed  himself  til  me.  It  sounded 
only  jist  as  much  like  thunder  as  he  cud  make  it 
sound  whin  he  roared  out  .  .  .  but  what  he 
called  me  thin  was  nather'  swate'  nor'  darlin', 
an'  I  hope  that  niver  in  this  world  nor  yit  in  anny 
ither  world  will  ye  be  afther  hearin'  anny  man  say 
the  burnin',  scorchin',  witherin'  words  that  Tim 
O'Keefe  yelled  out  til  me  at  partin'!" 


xxn 

Kurk  Kaleen  was  anxious  and  perturbed  as  he 
drew  near  the  home  that  he  had  left  a  few  short 
weeks  before,  without  the  most  remote  thought  of 
what  the  immediate  future  held.  As  the  distance 
between  himself  and  Bettina  Wane's  sweet 
presence  kept  increasing  it  seemed  as  if  the  intan 
gible  all-pervading  bond  that  was  between  them 
became  constantly  more  and  more  apparent;  it 
seemed  to  him  that  he  could  almost  see  her  as  she 
stood,  sorrowful,  almost  in  despair,  gazing  long 
ingly  after  him.  She  was  the  same  sweet,  innocent 
and  loving  girl,  and  yet  so  strangely  different, 
than  the  one  that  he  had  found  among  the  cushions 
in  the  library  of  Walter  Wane  upon  a  day  that 
now  seemed  very  far  away  and  yet  at  the  same 
time  very  near.  He  could  almost  see  the  wide, 
startled,  beautiful  blue  eyes  through  which  she 
had  looked  out  at  him  that  day;  he  could  almost 
hear  her  fresh,  clear,  girlish  voice,  that  had  grown 
deeper  and  been  much  intensified  as  their  ac 
quaintance  had  progressed.  The  conquest  he  had 
made  of  her  young  heart  had  in  it  an  element  of 
triumph,  bordering  upon  awe  that  was  new  in  his 
experience  with  women,  for  most  of  those  whom 
he  had  met  before  were  very  far  from  being  as 
"innercint  an'  unsuspicted"  as  she.  He  knew 
that  he  had  been  the  very  first  man  who  had  ever 
come  so  near  to  her,  that  she  had  felt  his  mascu 
linity,  and  he  knew  too  that  she  had  latent  in  her 
nature,  a  magnetism,  as  powerful  as  was  his  own. 
She  was  no  weakling,  he  reflected,  and  then  he 
smiled,  for  he  remembered  that  old  Margaret 

106 


GROUNDED  107 

attributed  her  perfect  health  and  strength  to  the 
fact  that  she  had  never  laid  her  as  a  "wee  wan" 
down  upon  a  spot  of  ground  where  angry  men  had 
spilled  each  other's  blood.  And  then  his  vision 
of  her  changed  again,  and  he  beheld  her  as  she'd 
looked  that  morning,  clinging  to  him,  lingering  in 
his  embrace,  thrilling  him  and  thrilled  herself  by 
the  strength  of  her  unacknowledged,  yet  slumber 
ing  emotions ;  and  then,  with  enthusiastic  delight, 
he  thought  of  her  as  she  would  be  when  really 
his  own.  So  he  dreamed  and  awakening  from  his 
dreams,  arrived  at  home  and  stern  reality. 

His  father  had  been  anxiously  waiting  for  the 
young  man's  coming,  and  as  soon  as  they  were 
entirely  alone  plunged  at  once  into  the  subject 
that  had  been  the  chief  cause  of  the  letter  that 
had  brought  his  son  to  him. 

* '  I  was  very  much  surprised, ' '  he  began,  holding 
his  auditor's  entire  attention  by  the  earnestness 
of  his  manner, 1 '  and,  I  may  add,  not  a  little  pained, 
by  the  announcement  in  your  recent  letter. 
Walter  Wane,  although  he  has  been  my  personal 
friend  for  very  many  years,  is  not  only  exceedingly 
eccentric  but  also  is  unfortunately  reputed  to  be 
somewhat  mentally  unbalanced.  He  at  one  time 
devoted  his  entire  energies  to  the  following  up  of 
a  Quixotic  and  utterly  fruitless  quest ;  the  pursuit 
of  this  strange  and  unheard-of  idea  was  kept  up 
by  him  even  after  his  marriage  but  ended,  so  far 
as  any  of  his  friends  have  discovered,  with  the 
birth  of  his  daughter,  which  event  was  followed 
almost  immediately  by  the  death  of  his  wife. 
Since  that  time  he  has  lived  the  life  of  a  recluse, 
attending  only  to  such  affairs  as  absolutely 
demanded  his  consideration,  shutting  himself  up 
within  his  own  mentality  to  the  exclusion  of  almost 
all  outside  affairs.  So  that,  while  yet  upon  the 


108  GROUNDED 

earth,  he  has  not  mingled  with  his  fellowmen  much 
more  than  if  he  had  already  left  this  plane  of 
existence.  How  many  of  her  father'  peculiarities 
or  how  much  of  his  inexplicable  nature  his 
daughter  may  have  inherited  I  do  not  know,  but 
it  is  probable  that  she  in  some  respects  resembles 
him.  However  this  may  be,  one  fact  I  am  assured 
is  certain :  the  girl  has  had  no  social  training  and 
would  not  be  prepared  in  any  way  to  fill  the  place 
that  your  wife  would  be  expected — indeed,  com 
pelled — to  occupy.  As  you  are  well  aware,  your 
future  financial  success  as  well  as  your  individual 
happiness  depends  largely  upon  the  kind  of  mat 
rimonial  alliance  that  you  make.  Your  wife  should 
be  a  woman  well  versed  in  the  ways  of  society,  if 
possible  she  should  have  had  a  wide  and  varied 
social  experience,  so  that  she  would  be  able  to  cope 
successfully  and  easily  with  any  situation  that 
might  come  up,  however  complicated  or  unusual. 
You  must  have,  as  your  life-partner  a  woman  who 
is  your  equal,"  looking  admiringly  at  his  son, 
"educated,  refined,  experienced  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  one  whose  family  as  well  as  herself  would 
reflect  credit  upon  you  and  give  you  the  benefit  of 
the  advantages  that  they  themselves  had  gained— 
instead  of  leaning  and  being  a  drag  upon  you  if 
not  a  positive  hindrance.  I  want  you  to  under 
stand,  "he  ended  earnestly  and  affectionately," 
that  I  have  been  actuated  in  what  I  have  been 
saying  by  a  strong  desire  for  your  well-being,  and 
not  by  prejudicial  belief  with  regard  to  the 
daughter  of  Walter  Wjane — for  she  is  no  doubt  a 
good,  honest,  innocent  and,  very  likely,  modest  and 
retiring,  girl." 

"I  cannot  doubt  the  sincerity  and  kindness  of 
your  motive,"  the  young  man  started  out,  seeing 
that  he  was  expected  to  say  something,  "and  I 


GROUNDED  109 

presume  that  all  you  have  said  of  Mr.  Wane  is 
strictly  true,  although  he  seems  to  me — and  I  have 
been  in  his  society  considerably  during  the  past 
few  weeks — a  studious,  extremely  sensible,  practi 
cal  and  kindly  considerate  gentleman.  As  for  his 
daughter,"  he  went  on,  rising  to  his  feet  and 
beginning  to  pace  rapidly  back  and  forth  across 
the  room,  *  *  as  I  told  you  in  nay  letter,  I  love  her, 
dearly,  and  wish — in  fact,  intend — to  make  her 
my  wife." 

"I  want  you  to  consider  carefully,"  the  other 
argued  diplomatically,  ''what  you  are  about  to 
do  before  you  take  a  step  that  will  be 
irrevocable.  Marriage  is  a  serious  affair,  and 
should  not  be  entered  into  without  deep  reflection. 
1  wish  that  you  would  observe  other  opportunities 
of  which  you  might  take  advantage  before  you 
attach  to  yourself  a  young  woman  who,  while  she 
may  be  very  charming,  cannot  possibly  be  adapted 
to  the  position  that  your  wife  must  fill.  Besides/' 
he  ended  resolutely,  as  if  determined  to  bring  the 
matter  to  a  crisis,  "not  only  I,  myself,  but  many 
'other  of  your  friends,  believed  that  you  were 
practically  bound,  if  not  actually  engaged,  to  Miss 
Lena  Burton — before  I  sent  you, ' '  a  little  bitterly, 
"to  visit  Walter  Wane." 

Kurk  Kaleen  did  not  believe  in  useless  argu 
ment,  nor  did  he  deem  that  it  would  be  his  wisest 
course  to  hastily  and  definitely  decide  a  matter 
that  affected  him  as  vitally  as  this.  Recalling  that 
he  had  a  verbal  message  to  deliver  to  his  father, 
he  quietly  overlooked  the  intimation  that  had  just 
been  made. 

"As  I  was  leaving  the  home  of  Mr.  Wane,"  he 
said, ' '  he  asked  me  to  bring  a  message  to  you.  He 
told  me  that  there  was  a  matter  of  importance  that 
would  require  your  mutual  attention.  He  said  he 


110  GROUNDED 

would  prefer  that  you  visit  him,  so  that  you  might 
consult  together,  but  that  he  would  leave  the  place 
of  meeting  to  be  settled  according  to  your  judg 
ment.  He  made  it  quite  imperative  that  the  time 
of  this  meeting  should  be  soon,  certainly  before  his 
daughter's  marriage." 


XXIII 

One  evening  not  long  after  his  return  Kurk 
Kaleen,  with  other  members  of  his  family,  was 
privileged  to  be  among  those  to  attend  a  large, 
exclusive  gathering  of  prominent  and  even  noted 
people.  As  he  entered  the  room  more  than  one 
pair  of  eyes  was  turned  in  his  direction,  for  his 
handsome  appearance,  affable,  easy  manner  and 
his  engaging  reserved  smile,  together  with  the 
distinguished  air  that  seemed  always  to  accom 
pany  him  made  him  unusually  attractive  wherever 
he  went.  He  was  soon  sought  by  some  of  his 
intimate  acquaintances,  who  had  missed  him  dur 
ing  his  absence  and  welcomed  his  return. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  young  man  came  to 
the  group  of  which  Lena  Burton  was  the  accepted 
leader,  both  because  of  the  position  that  she 
occupied  as  her  father's  daughter  and  her  own 
personality.  As  the  young  girl  became  conscious 
of  his  presence  she  acknowledged  it  in  many 
different  ways.  Greeting  him  courteously,  she 
made  room  for  him  among  those  near  to  her.  Her 
expressive  gray  eyes,  that  had  perceptibly  bright 
ened  at  his  approach,  were  turned  toward  him; 
her  countenance  became  even  more  animated  than 
it  had  been  before  his  coming;  and  a  soft,  rosy 
flush  crept  slowly  up  from  her  smooth  young  neck. 
Her  voice  as  she  addressed  him  had  in  it  tones  not 
often  there.  In  fact  a  man,  received  as  he  was 
then,  could  not  fail  to  know  that  Lena  Burton, 
proud  and  independent,  experienced  and  exclusive, 
honored,  feted,  courted  by  those  who  might  be 
considered  socially  his  superiors,  had  selected  him 

ill 


112  GROUNDED 

as  one  upon  whom  to  bestow  especial  favors.  She 
soon  withdrew  a  little  from  the  group  that  had  sur 
rounded  her,  and  beckoned  to  him  to  follow  her. 
When  they  were  seated  at  some  little  distance 
from  the  rest  she  said: 

' '  I  hear  that  you  have  just  enjoyed  a  visit  in  the 
country.  I  hope  you  are  refreshed  and  rested.  I 
know  that  /  have  often  longed  to  be — at  least  for 
a  few  weeks  or  months — away  from  the  confusion 
and  the  crowds.  Were  very  many  other  people 
there,  where  you  have  been  ...  or,  that  is 
.  .  ."  and  then,  with  an  embarrassed  but  a 
perfectly  frank  and  natural  little  laugh,  she  ended, 
"I  beg  your  pardon!  I  was  just  rambling  on  be 
cause  it  seemed  the  proper  thing. ' ' 

"I  was  visiting  an  old  friend  of  my  father's," 
Kurk  Kaleen  explained,  with  his  usual  well-poised 
conventionality.  ' '  No  one,  except  the  members  of 
his  immediate  family,  was  there.  His  residence 
is  situated  in  a  very  beautiful,  although  decidedly 
isolated,  English  environment.  There  is  a  certain 
charm,  Miss  Burton,  about  a  country  place  in  Eng 
land,  and  I  hope  that  you  may  some  time  have  an 
opportunity  to  come  beneath  its  influence  your 
self." 

"I  think  that  I  should  enjoy  a  visit  in  the  coun 
try  here,  very  much.  Perhaps  before  I  return  to 
America  I  may  have  that  pleasure.  I  do  not  sup 
pose,  though, ' '  she  went  on  mischievously,  for  she 
had  now  at  hand  not  only  her  customary  self-pos 
session  but  her  usual  daring  as  well,  "that  I 
should  be  fortunate  enough  to  bring  back  with  me 
from  a  visit  to  the  country  such  a  trophy  as  the 
one  that  you — unless  reports  have  been  greatly  ex 
aggerated — have  in  your  possession." 

Although  he  had  already  had  some  experience 
with  her,  he  had  not  expected  this  direct  attack 


GROUNDED  113 

from  her,  at  least  in  just  the  way  it  had  been  made, 
and  it  was  his  turn  to  hesitate.  He  reflected  that 
though  he  himself  had  had  no  hand  in  it,  his  en 
gagement  had  perhaps  been  rather  widely  adver 
tised  among  those  who  were  acquainted  with  him 
and  if  so  Missi  Burton  probably  had  been  told  all 
that  had  been  learned  to  date.  This  idea  was 
followed  by  the  thought  that  it  might  be  well  for 
him  to  know  what  had  been,  said. 

"Reports  are  often  so  distorted  that  they  do 
not  in  any  way  resemble  the  facts.  I  have  often 
noticed  that  a  story  several  times  repeated  loses 
identity.  As  to  'trophies,'  : '  for  his  resolve  not  to 
make  any  revelations  was  growing  stronger  all 
the  time,  "I  think  that  I  could  show  you  some 
dried  wild  flowers,  pressed  carefully  between  the 
pages  of  a  notebook. ' ' 

She  laughed  aloud  and  as  she  watched  amaze 
ment  grow  upon  his  face  she  kept  on  laughing. 

"Wjhy!  I  have  known  about  Bettina  Wane  for 
years,  and  years  and  years!  Her  father  and  my 
father  became  great  friends  when  Mr.  Wane  was 
traveling  in  America!  It  was  through  a  letter 
from  him  that  I  was  made  aware"  quite  primly, 
' '  of  your  engagement  to  his  daughter.  The  idea ! 
You  and  your  wild  flowers ! ' '  laughter  again  tak 
ing  complete  possession  of  her.  ' l  Now  that  I  have 
told  you, ' '  dabbing  at  her  eyes  with  a  bit  of  cam 
bric,  for  she  had  laughed  until  she  cried,  "what 
you  really  wanted  to  know,  perhaps  you  will  be 
nice  and  tell  me  all  about  Bettina,  and  her  home, 
and  all  the  little  twists  and  turns  that  I  will  need 
to  know  about — so  that  I  too  may  go  into  the 
country,  and  gather  wild  flowers,  and  press  them 
in  a  book!" 


XXIV 

Not  long  after  Kurk  Kaleen's  departure  Bettina 
Wane,  one  afternoon,  was  in  her  favorite  position 
among  the  cushions  in  the  corner  of  the  library, 
Bonny  curled  up  beside  her,  and  one  of  her  highly 
esteemed  books  in  her  hand.  She  was  not  reading, 
although  the  book  that  she  was  holding  open  had 
upon  its  pages  the  written  expression  of  thoughts 
that  were  to  her  intensely  interesting.  It  was  as 
if  the  author  of  the  book  had  been  describing  her 
own  recent  awakening  from  childhood,  to  woman 
hood;  she  wondered  if  the  author  had  passed 
through  a  similar  experience,  and  if  so  whether 
loneliness  and  longing  had  followed  it;  she  won 
dered  whether  loneliness  and  longing  always  fol 
lowed  the  attainment  of  great  happiness  and  if,  if 
that  were  so,  it  were  not  better  to  be  denied  great 
happiness  and  so  escape  its  inevitable  result.  Yet 
the  girl  was  not  a  coward  nor  was  she  altogether 
selfish ;  she  simply  stood  where  two  roads  met,  and 
hesitated  before  passing  from  one  into  the  other. 

At  that  moment  a  heavy,  shuffling  step  re 
sounded  in  the  hall,  then  fumbling  fingers  felt  their 
way  along  the  wall  and  stopped  when  they  had 
reached  the  door.  Bettina  knew  whose  step  it  was 
and  so  did  Bonny,  for  the  latter 's  ears  went  sharp 
ly  forward  and  were  at  the  same  time  lifted,  while 
her  bright  eyes  showed  anticipatory  joy  and  her 
plume-like  tail  began  to  wave. 

"Come  right  in,  Margaret  dear!  I'm  here  and 
so  is  Bonny ! ' ' 

The  old  woman  needed  no  second  invitation,  but 
as  soon  as  she  could  crowd  through  the  doorway 

114 


GROUNDED  115 

appeared  before  her  youthful  charge,  excitedly 
waving  a  letter. 

''The  post  do  be  afther  lavin'  this  wid  us,  Miss 
darlin'!"  she  exclaimed.  "It  has  a  furrin'  look 
til  me, ' '  peering  at  it  curiously.  "  I  rm  anxious  to 
be  afther  seein'  what's  widin  it!" 

Bettina  took  the  letter,  and  glancing  at  it  hur 
riedly,  immediately  opened  it.  Her  face  grew  rosy 
as  she  read,  and  looking  up  at  her  old  nurse,  who 
was  watching  her  expectantly  and  fearfully,  she 
said : 

"It  is  from  the  daughter  of  my  father's  old 
friend,  Mr.  Burton ;  she  wishes  to  make  us  a  visit ; 
and  so,  Margaret  dear,  we  must  at  once  prepare 
for  her  coming." 

From  that  time  until  the  arrival  of  Lena  Burton 
there  was  so  much  bustling  activity  in  and  about 
the  home  of  Mr.  Wane  that  his  daughter  did  not 
have  much  opportunity  for  deep  reflection,  but 
during  the  night  after  she  came  Bettina  lay  awake 
for  hours,  staring  into  the  darkness  with  sensitive 
nerves  so  keyed  up  that  they  responded  to  the 
slightest  sound,  her  inner  consciousness  utterly 
refusing  to  be  dulled  into  somnolence.  It  almost 
seemed  to  her  that  she  could  hear,  over  and  over 
in  endless  repetition,  the  gay,  careless  voice  of  her 
visitor  as  she  had  said: 

' '  I  understand,  dear,  that  you  are  going  to  mar 
ry  Kurk  Kaleen.  I  wonder  if  you  know  how  many 
women  he  has  jilted.  But  then,"  the  gay  voice 
had  trailed  off  into  almost  boisterous  laughter,  "I 
don 't  suppose  he  knows  himself  how  many  women 
he  has  said  that  he  would  marry — and  then 
changed  his  mind.  You  are  a  brave  girl,  my  dear, 
a  very  brave  and  daring  girl. ' ' 

The  gay  voice  sometimes  took  on  clarion  pro 
portions,  there  in  the  stillness  of  the  night,  so  that 


116  GROUNDED 

the  girl  who  listened  started  up  as  if  a  tocsin  had 
been  sounded.  And  so  indeed  it  had,  and  with 
intent  to  do  the  very  work  that  it  was  doing. 
Bettina  in  her  kindly  innocence  did  not  for  a  mo 
ment  dream  that  this  was  so,  for  she  knew  nothing 
of  intrigue  or  any  kind  of  hypocritical,  malignant 
scheming.  As  she  lay  tossing  upon  her  own  soft 
bed,  where  she  had  always  slept  since  she  could 
remember  having  slept  at  all,  the  one  who  'd  thrust 
the  javelin  of  unrest  into  her  inmost  soul  slumber 
ed  sweetly.  Lena  herself,  had  had  some  restless 
nights  about  this  very  matter,  but  having  settled 
on  a  method  of  procedure  and  carried  out  the 
plans,  the  tension  of  her  nerves  had  lessened  as, 
in  exactly  corresponding  ratio,  that  of  her  victim's 
had  increased. 

Bettina  Wane  did  not  arrive,  as  under  such  un 
fortunate  conditions  is  almost  always  the  case,  at 
any  definite  conclusion  during  her  hours  of  rest 
lessness,  but  arose  unrefreshed  and  heavy-eyed 
the  next  morning  in  spite  of  her  healthy  youth. 
Old  Margaret,  noticing  that  this  was  so,  insisted 
peremptorily  that  she  should  go  at  once  into  the 
open  air.  So  they  started  out  as  usual  upon  their 
morning  walk  and  just  as  they  were  leaving  their 
visitor  arrived  upon  the  scene. 

"I  have  been  told,"  smiling  reminiscently, 
"that  there  are  many  lovely  wild  flowers  to  be 
found  near  here.  England  seems  to  me  so  small 
as  compared  with  my  own  country,  and  there  are 
so  many  people  everywhere,  that  I  don 't  see  where 
the  wild  flowers  find  even  a  place  to  grow. ' ' 

Old  Margaret  had  been  closely  watching  her  and 
at  the  same  time  waiting,  and  as  soon  as  the  girl 
ceased  speaking  she  began : 

"It  do  be  seemin'  that  you  two  standin'  there, 
the  baith  of  ye  togither,  be  as  like  as  two  peas — 


GROUNDED  117 

baith  in  the  same  pod — to  two  wild  flowers  yer- 
silves!  I  always  has  been  minded  whin  I  looked 
at  my  darlin'  of  blue  violets  and  field  daisies  too, 
for  whin  a  violet  looks  up  til  me  like  that  wan 
there,  pouncing  upon  a  flower  and  bearing  it  in 
triumph  to  Bettina,  who  smilingly  presented  it  to 
her  guest,  "it  seems  to  me  like  the  darlin's  eyes. 
An'  whin  a  violet  is  only  just  a  little  wet  wid  dew 
it  do  be  makin'  me  remember  how,  whin  my  girlie 
was  a  wee  wan,  her  blue  eyes  looked  whin  they 
was  wet  wid  tears.  I  niver  see  a  daisy  lookin' 
up,  so  modest'like  an '  yit  so  phutty  too,  but  I  think 
that  it  is  only  jist  like  my  darlin's  face.  Young 
gurrhls  do  be  like  flowers  in  manny  ways, ' '  gazing 
admiringly  at  the  two  who  were  in  front  of  her. 
''They  do  be  standin'  sthraight  an'  slim  an'  frish, 
as  free  as  anny  flower  that  iver  grew  an'  only  jist 
as  beautiful — but  whin  a  hot  hand  picks  them  off 
the  stim  they  do  be  growin'  on  they  do  be  wither- 
in'."  She  sighed  and  shook  her  head,  "Ah,  yis, 
they  do  be  withe  rin ' ! " 

Just  then  Bettina  thought  she  heard  someone 
approaching,  but  as  the  others  did  not  seem  to 
notice  anything  she  decided  that  her  hearing  was 
somewhat  abnormal  because  her  nerves  wrere  yet 
unstrung  from  lack  of  sleep.  She  did  not  look 
around.  Had  she  done  so  she  would  have  seen  a 
very  much  surprised,  in  fact  a  startled  and  an 
almost  terrified,  young  man.  Having  been  told 
that  Bettina  and  old  Margaret  had  gone  out  for 
their  customary  morning  walk,  Kurk  Kaleen,  who 
had  unexpectedly  arrived,  had  followed  them  and 
he  was  much  astonished  when  he  saw  that  Lena 
Burton  had  forestalled  him  as  it  were,  and  was 
walking  there  demurely  beside  Bettina  Wane.  As 
soon  as  he  recovered  he  assumed  as  nearly  as  he 


118  GROUNDED 

could  his  usual  air,  and  hurrying  forward  called 
out  cheerily : 

'  '  The  top  o '  the  morning  to  you,  ladies !  I  hope 
that  you  are — all — as  well  and  happy  as  you 
look!" 


XXV 

Shortly  after  the  termination  of  Lena  Burton's 
visit  in  the  home  of  Walter  Wane  she  spent  an 
evening  with  her  father,  of  whose  companionship 
she  had  always  been  very  fond.  Her  recent  visit 
had  been  freely  commented  upon,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  conversation  Mr.  Burton  asked : 

"Did  you  notice  anything  peculiar  about  Mr. 
W^ane  ?  That  is,  did  he  seem  strange  or  abnormal 
to  you  in  any  way?" 

The  girl  spent  a  few  moments  in  quiet  reflection 
before  she  answered: 

"He  wasn't  a  bit  like  you,  Dad;  I  felt  sort  of 
queer  and  out  of  place  in  his  society,  and  what  did 
seem  odd  to  me  was  that  his  own  daughter  seemed 
to  feel  just  as  I  did.  It  may  be  that  he  don't 
like  women,"  she  ended,  smiling  up  into  her 
father 's  face,  from  where  she  sat  on  a  low  hassock, 
or,  anyway,  young  women." 

1  i  I  know  that  he  loved  his  young  wife  devotedly, 
and  she  I  think  loved  him. ' '  As  Mr.  Burton  spoke 
he  laid  one  hand  upon  his  daughter's  heavy  hair, 
"I  saw  them  more  than  once  together,  and  I  donH: 
believe  I  ever  saw  a  happier  or  more  congenial 
couple.  I  have  been  told,"  he  went  on  contem 
platively,  ' '  that  he  has  never  been  the  same  since 
his  wife's  death.  They  say  that  he  is  mourning 
for  her  constantly,  and  that  he  keeps  even  his  own 
daughter  at  a  distance." 

"She  isn't  like  me  then,  is  she,  Dad?"  asked  the 
girl,  resting  her  head  upon  his  knee.  "You  could 
not  keep  me  off  at  arms'  length  if  you  tried. 
Bettina  is  a  sweet  girl,  too,"  thoughtfully  adding 

119 


120  GROUNDED 

with  some  solicitude,  "she  must  be  very  lonely, 
for  she  has  no  one  of  her  own  kind  near  her." 

"Judging  from  what  her  father  wrote  me  re 
cently,"  casually  and  as  if  the  subject  under  dis 
cussion  had  no  especial  interest  either  for  himself 
or  for  the  girl  who  sat  beside  him,  "I  conclude 
that  she  will  soon  be  under  different  circum 
stances." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  agreed  the  young  woman  with 
out  lifting  her  head  from  her  father's  knee,  "un 
der  very  different  circumstances — that  is,  if  the 
contemplated!  marriage  is  ever  really  consum 
mated.  ' ' 

"What  leads  you  to  suppose  that  this  will  not 
take  place?"  her  father  asked,  for  he  had  ob 
served  an  unnatural  tone  in  his  daughter's  usually 
frank  and  hearty  voice.  "From  what  you  have 
told  me  of  the  girl  she  is  educated  and  refined. 
Her  mother  was  a  pretty  woman  and  her  father 
is,  beyond  all  doubt,  a  capable,  scholarly,  cour 
teous  man. ' ' 

* '  You  are  not  very  well  acquainted,  though,  with 
Kurk  Kaleen,"  said  Lena  Burton,  her  eyes  still 
hidden  from  her  father's  questioning  glance. 
' '  You  know, ' '  looking  up  and  quickly  down  again, 
"it  always  takes  two  to  complete,  as  well  as  just 
to  make,  a  bargain. ' ' 

"  It  is  true  that  especially  attractive  young  men 
are  also  sometimes  fickle,"  stated  the  man,  patting 
lovingly  the  shining  masses  of  golden-brown  hair 
beneath  his  hand,  "but  I  see  no  reason  why  he 
should  be  so  in  this  case." 

"Do  you  think,  Dad,"  the  girl  asked  suddenly, 
looking  directly  into  his  eyes,  "that  men  and 
women  ever  act  reasonably,  when  they're  in 
love?" 

Mr.  Burton  had  had  considerable  experience 


GROUNDED  121 

with  men  and  women.  After  a  thoughtful  silence, 
during  which  his  hand  still  rested  on  the  head, 
upon  his  knee,  he  replied : 

"There  are  so  many  different  emotions  spoken 
of  as  being  love  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  make  a 
general  statement.  In  the  case  we  are  now  con 
sidering,  however,  it  seems  to  me  that  any  honor 
able  young  man,  having  gone  so  far  as  to  propose 
matrimony  to  a  girl  such  as  you  describe  the 
daughter  of  Walter  Wane  to  be  would  not  be  apt 
to  repudiate  the  bargain  he  had  made." 

"Yet  some  men  gather  women's  hearts,  Dad,  as 
others  gather  flowers — to  be  admired  and  enjoyed, 
and  after  the  novelty  of  possession  has  ceased  to 
thrill  them,  to  be  thrown  away. ' '  It  seemed  to  him 
that  there  was  a  trace  of  bitterness  in  her  young 
voice.  "I  sometimes  think,"  she  went  on  a  little 
wearily,  ' '  that  modern  men  are  not  much  like  the 
men  used  to  be.  I  can't  think,  Dad,  that  you 
yourself  were  ever  just  a  hunter  .  .  .  going 
through  the  world,  seeking  spoils,  gaining  what 
you  could  for  your  selfish  benefit  without  regard 
or  pity  for  those  to  whom  you  brought  great  suf 
fering,  whose  lives  perhaps  you  wrecked,  so  that 
instead  of  happiness  they  would  find  only  pain  and 
disappointment  and  regret.  Young  men  nowa 
days,"  she  ended,  reaching  up  and  taking  one  of 
her  father's  hands  in  both  of  hers,  and  placing  it 
beneath  her  soft,  round  cheek  where  it  rested, 
against  his  knee, ' '  enjoy  the  chase,  it  seems  to  me, 
as  did  the  ones  who  used  to  roam  at  will  across 
the  rolling  plains  and  through  the  pathless  forests 
of  our  country,  Dad.  Only  now,  instead  of  hunt 
ing  buffalo  and  bear  and  mountain  lion,  they  hunt 
women's  hearts.  And  after  they  have  captured 
them,"  she  added,  snuggling  her  cheek  down  closer 


122  GROUNDED 

yet  within  the  hollow  of  her  father's  hand,"  they 
do  not  always  care  to  keep  them. ' ' 

"Do  you  think,  my  daughter,  that  manly  love 
has  vanished  from  the  earth?" 

*  *  I  think  that  manly  love, ' '  she  answered  sadly, 
"that  is — steadfast,  reverential  manly  love — is 
very  rare. ' ' 

"Am  I  then  to  infer,"  he  asked  gravely,  "that 
you  believe  the  young  man  of  whom  we  have  been 
speaking  is  false,  fickle,  incapable  of  honorable, 
uplifting,  steadfast  love?" 

1  i  His  record  in  society  would  lead  me  so  to  be 
lieve — and  he  is  so  fascinating !  His  success  as  a 
hunter  of  hearts  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  after 
all." 

She  laid  her  bright  head  down  again,  and  her 
father  regarded  her  with  solicitude  and  even  anxi 
ety.  At  length,  as  if  he  had  decided  upon  some 
thing  that  it  seemed  to  him  he  ought  to  do,  Mr. 
Burton,  leaning  forward,  almost  whispered : 

"Tell  me,  Lena,  are  you  personally  interested 
in  this  young  man?  Because,"  he  went  on  loving 
ly,  "if  this  were  so  it  might  be  well  for  you  to 
go  back  to  America — at  least  for  a  while. ' ' 

"Do  you  think,"  asked  the  girl,  straightening 
up  and  leaning  back  with  hands  clasped  about  her 
knees, ' '  that  your  daughter  is  a  coward  and  would 
run  away  like  that?  You  know  me  better,  Dad! 
Even  if  I  were  in  love  with  Kurk  Kaleen,"  her 
voice  shook  a  little  as  she  pronounced  the  name, 
* '  I  would  not  be  afraid  to  meet  him  anywhere ! ' ' 

"I  know  you  are  courageous,  Lena,  I  do  not 
think,"  he  went  on  calmly  and  with  firmness, 
"that  you  could  be  my  daughter  or  your  mother's 
daughter,  and  be  otherwise.  But  in  the  case  of 
which  we  have  been  speaking  you  are  not  the  only 
girl  to  be  considered.  Bettina  Wane  is  motherless 


GROUNDED  123 

and  in  many  ways  is  not  situated  as  you  are.  I 
am  sure  that  you  would  not  wish  to  be  the  cause 
of  bringing  into  another  woman  rs  life  the  bitter 
ness  and  sorrow  which,  as  we  have  just  agreed, 
may  come  to  any  trusting  woman  who  gives  her 
life  into  the  keeping  of  a  fascinating  but  fickle 
man." 

The  girl  looked  at  him,  but  in  her  bold,  bright 
glance  was  neither  affirmation  nor  denial. 


XXVI 

When  Kurk  Kaleen  definitely  decided  upon  a 
certain  course  he  went  deliberately  toward  the 
end  that  he  desired,  without  regard  to  minor  in 
cidents  that  might  have  swerved  a  less  deter 
mined  person  from  the  path  that  he  was  follow 
ing.  He  continued  to  make  preparations  for  his 
marriage,  although  he  knew  that  his  father  stren 
uously  opposed  it.  He  did  not  confide  in  his  asso 
ciates  concerning  the  change  that  he  was  contem 
plating,  and  yet  he  was  very  well  aware  that  the 
matter  was  being  more  or  less  freely  discussed. 
Most  of  them  had  never  met  Bettina  and  he  did 
hot  intend  that  they  should,  until  she  had  become 
his  wife. 

One  day  he  visited  a  large  art  gallery  where 
many  paintings  offered  for  sale  were  upon  exhibi 
tion,  with  a  view  to  making  some  selections  for 
the  walls  of  the  home  that  he  was  planning  for 
the  reception  of  his  bride.  He  had  wandered 
back  and  forth  among  the  pictures,  stopping  from 
time  to  time  to  examine  one  of  them  carefully  and 
critically.  Finally  he  settled  down  upon  a  divan 
that  had  been  placed  at  a  convenient  angle,  in  a 
little,  secluded  nook  where  there  were  several 
paintings  which  pleased  his  fancy.  He  had  been 
there  but  a  short  time  when  he  was  surprised  to 
hear,  almost  at  his  elbow  a  flute-like  and  a  well- 
known,  vibrant  voice: 

"Absorbed  in  making  plans,  and  dreaming  of 
your  future!"  the  voice  exclaimed,  while  at  the 
same  time  there  came  into  view  a  vision  of  per 
fectly  gowned,  perfectly  poised,  radiant  young 

124 


GROUNDED  125 

womanhood.  "I  wonder,  now,"  she  went  on 
lightly  as  he  courteously  made  room  for  her  be 
side  him  on  the  divan,  "if  you  would  not  like  to 
have  some  superlative  assistance  in  making  your 
selections !  Because,  if  so,  I  would  be  very  glad 
to  furnish  it,  both  for  your  own  sake,"  smiling, 
frankly  and  cordially,  "and  for  the  sake  of  my 
iown  little  friend,  Bettina.  In  fact,"  she  ended, 
daringly,  regarding  him  with  something  that  was 
even  warmer  than  mere  friendship, ' '  I  might  per 
haps,  since  she  is  not  here  with  you  today,  take 
her  place — to  some  extent.  Women's  tastes  are 
apt  to  be  somewhat  alike — at  least,  so  far  as  paint 
ings  are  concerned." 

The  young  man  was  somewhat  "put  to  it,"  as 
the  old  saying  goes,  for  words,  and  actions  too. 
He  was  not  quite  prepared,  at  least  just  at  that 
time,  to  carry  on  a  wild  flirtation  with  Lena  Bur 
ton,  and  yet  as  she  sat  there  beside  him,  smiling, 
cordial,  frank,  and  most  enticing,  it  was  as  natural 
for  him  to  pick  up  the  gauntlet  that  she'd  thrown 
down  as  it  had  been  for  her  to  cast  it  at  his  feet. 
He  compromised  by  treating  her,  as  nearly  as  he 
could,  as  if  she  had  been  Bettina 's  sister,  or  as  if 
he  himself  had  been — although  he  did  not  succeed 
effectually  in  carrying  out  this  pretense — her 
brother. 

"It  is  true  that  I  am  greatly  in  need  of  expert 
assistance, ' '  he  began,  adroitly  increasing  the  dis 
tance  that  had  somehow  narrowed  between  them, 
on  the  divan,  * '  for  I  have  been  sitting  here  now  for 
some  little  time  trying  to  decide  as  to  which  of 
these  two  paintings,"  rising  to  his  feet  and  going 
over  to  stand  for  a  few  moments  before  first  one 
of  them  and  then  the  other,  "I  like  the  better. 
Sometimes  I  think  that  it  is  this,"  regarding  it 
closely  and  critically,  while  he  stood  gracefully 


126  GROUNDED 

before  it ;  * '  and  then,  *  *  going  over  to  the  other  and 
carefully  inspecting  it,  "it  seems  to  me  that  I  like 
this!  Now  which,'7  he  ended,  stepping  back  in 
order  to  allow  her  to  pass  in  front  of  him,  "would 
be  your  choice?" 

The  girl  arose,  for  she  had  remained  upon  the 
divan,  and  as  she  passed  before  him  the  young 
man  was  poignantly  conscious  of  the  subtle  per 
fume  that  emanated  from  the  floating  and  artis 
tic  garments  that  only  half  concealed  the  free, 
lithe  movements  of  her  supple,  slender  figure. 
Her  fingers  touched  his  hand.  Instantly  those 
soft  white  fingers,  as  if  without  volition  except 
their  own  primitive  desire  closed  about  the  hand 
that  they  had  touched;  and  it,  also,  as  it  seemed 
without  volition  other  than  its  own,  clutched  and 
clung  to  hers.  So  they  stood.  Both  were  con 
scious  of  the  force  that  held  them ;  each  had  a  dis 
tinct  idea  as  to  whither  it  would  lead.  Yet  they 
clung  there  as  if  holding  to  a  spar,  with  wild, 
tempestuous  waters  swirling  all  about;  and  then 
it  seemed  to  Kurk  Kaleen  as  if  he  saw  Bettina's 
pale  and  earnest  face,  as  if  he  saw  her  great, 
blue  eyes  looking  up  into  his  own,  while  she  said 
as  he  was  leaving  her,  "If  you  should  not  return 
to  me  I  think  that  I  should  die."  He  loosed  his 
hold  upon  the  soft  white  fingers  that  were  cling 
ing  to  his  hand  and  the  girl,  realizing  that  the 
spell  was  somehow  broken,  passed  on  until  she 
stood  alone  before  a  painting. 

"After  all,  I  don't  suppose  that  I  can  help  you 
very  much.  I  think  that  you  would  find  Bettina's 
taste  quite  different  than  mine,  at  least  with  refer 
ence  to  pictures.  Sometimes,"  she  went  on  easily 
and  almost  indifferently,  "a  young  girl  who  seems 
pliable  and  yielding  will  develop  into  a  very 
strong-willed,  even  almost  domineering,  woman. 


GROUNDED  127 

Sometimes,"  she  ended,  turning  toward  him  now 
and  smiling  as  frankly  and  cordially  as  was  tier 
wont,  "a  mere  outsider  cannot  judge  or  greatly 
help  two  lovers." 

After  that  they  talked  of  immaterial  matters. 
They  did  not  speak  of  marriage  or  of  love,  or  of 
Bettina  Wane,  or  even  of  themselves. 


(I 


XXVII 

I 

'I'll  go  wid  ye,  darlin',"  cried  old  Margaret 
O'Keefe,  her  face  with  its  many  criss-cross 
wrinkles  convulsed  with  weeping.  "I'll  go  wid 
ye,  ferninst  anything  that  thries  to  sthop  me, 
right  up  to  the  stips  of  the  altar  itsilf,  an'  whin 
ye  do  be  comin'  down  off  of  thim  stips  afther  ye 
have  laid  yer  swate  young  life  widin  the  hands 
that  do  be  graspin '  afther  ye,  only  jist  as  soon  as 
ye  begin  to  come  to  yer  right  sinse — ye  will  be 
afther  findin'  auld  Margaret  waitin'  fer  ye." 

Bettina  had  wished  to  have  the  ceremony  that 
would  unite  her  to  the  man  who  had  awakened 
within  her  the  strongest  emotions  that  she  had 
ever  thus  far  known,  performed  upon  the  spot 
where  they  had  met.  In  accordance  with  this  it 
had  been  arranged  to  have  the  marriage  take 
place  in  the  library  of  her  home,  with  only  those 
as  witnesses  who  were  closely  associated  with  the 
contracting  parties.  Old  Margaret,  when  she  saw 
that  there  was  nothing  else  to  do,  withdrew  her 
open  opposition  to  and  actively  engaged  in  mak 
ing  preparations  for  the  wedding;  Mr.  Wane, 
after  having  held  the  conference  with  Kurk 
Kaleen's  father  upon  which  he  had  insisted,  set 
tled  back  apparently  into  the  grooves  to  which  he 
had  become  accustomed  through  years  of  com 
parative  isolation.  He  seemed,  although  the  head 
of  the  house,  without  much  thought  as  to  what 
was  going  on  within  it;  Barney  McCoy,  since  his 
services  as  tutor  were  no  longer  required  had,  at 
least  for  the  time  disappeared.  The  two  young 
people  were  left  very  much  to  themselves  and  so 

128 


GROUNDED  129 

had  ample  opportunity  to  become  better  acquaint 
ed  with  each  other  although,  as  is  often  the  case 
with  lovers,  they  did  not  take  advantage  of  it. 
One  afternoon  shortly  before  the  day  that  had 
been  chosen  they  were  seated  upon  the  couch, 
among  the  cushions,  in  the  corner  of  the  library. 
The  young  man  had  just  been  telling  his  prospec 
tive  bride  about  some  of  the  well-known  places  of 
great  interest  which  he  hoped  soon  to  visit  with 
her;  she  had  been  particularly  anxious  to  know 
how  much  time  would  be  required  to  complete 
the  journey  they  intended  to  take  immediately 
after  their  marriage.  Evidently  surprised  at  this 
attitude  on  her  part,  he  with  some  emphasis 
asked : 

"Why  should  you  care,  little  girl?"  He  added 
lovingly,  "We  will  be  together.'''' 

"Margaret  will  be  anxious  to  have  me  with  her 
again,"  she  answered  calmly,  "and  I  know  that 
Bonny  will  miss  me  sadly." 

He  looked  at  her  curiously,  as  if  considering 
what  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  say.  Before  he 
spoke  he  took  her  hand  gently  but  firmly  in  his 
own  and  held  it  so,  occasionally  stroking  the  back 
of  it  with  the  fingers  of  his  other  hand  while  he 
said: 

' '  Do  you  not  think,  Bettina,  that  my  love,  alone 
could  fill  your  life?" 

She  did  not  take  her  hand  from  his  warm  clasp, 
and  somehow,  instead  of  trembling  as  it  had  often 
done  beneath  his  touch,  it  rested  there,  cool,  calm, 
capable.  At  length,  and  in  her  voice  there  was 
a  sound  that  was  new  and  strange,  she  said : 

"It  does  not  seem  to  me  that  love  could  ever 
wholly  take  the  place  of  duty.  I  do  not  think  that 
I  would  have  the  right  to  desert  old  Margaret  and 
Bonny  now,  even  if  I  wished:  Margaret  held  me 


130  GROUNDED 

in  her  arms  when  I  first  came  into  this  world, 
and  has  always  loved  and  cared  for  me;  I  have 
separated  Bonny  from  the  balance  of  her  kind 
and  made  her  daily  needs  and  expectations  quite 
different  than  those  of  ordinary  dogs.  As  they 
both  grow  older,  the  two  who  are  dependent  on 
me  will  need  my  understanding  care  more  even 
than  heretofore — and  I  must  give  it  to  them.  It 
is  the  duty  of  the  strong,"  her  blue  eyes  did  not 
quail  beneath  his  glance,  that  now  was  almost 
stern,  "to  shield  the  weak.  These  two  of  whom 
I  have  been  speaking  are  pitifully  weak  in  many 
ways,  and  I,"  she  ended  proudly,  almost  distant 
ly,  "as  compared  with  them,  am  strong." 

He  saw  that  she  was  very  much  in  earnest,  and 
in  the  haughty,  impenetrable  atmosphere  that  it 
seemed  she  was  about  to  throw  around  herself  he 
recognized  a  likeness  to  her  father's  cold  aus 
terity.  He  shuddered  and  almost  involuntarily 
sprang  to  his  feet.  He  began  to  pace  rapidly  back 
and  forth,  at  some  little  distance  from  the  couch 
where  the  girl  quietly  remained ;  then  all  at  once 
the  tension  seemed  relieved  by  some  arresting 
thought,  and  softly,  almost  humbly,  he  came  and 
stood  before  her. 

"Bettina,"  he  began,  "I  am  not  worthy  of  you. 
Are  you  certain  that  you  love  me — well  enough  to 
marry  me  ?  It  is  not  even  now  too  late, ' '  he  went 
on,  not  waiting  for  an  answer,  "for  you  to  send 
me  from  you  if  you  wish  to  do  so. ' ' 

The  girl,  as  if  suddenly  galvanized  into  action, 
rose,  and  moving  swiftly  started  toward  the  door 
as  if  about  to  leave  the  room.  He  did  not  try  to 
hinder  her,  unless  the  appealing  glances  that  he 
sent  after  her  could  be  interpreted  as  hindrances. 
Her  hand  was  on  the  doorknob,  but  before  she 
turned  it,  as  if  shaken  by  a  wave  of  tenderness, 


GROUNDED  131 

she  faced  about,  and  though  her  lips  and  chin 
were  trembling,  her  voice  was  steady  as  she  said : 

1 1  If  you  desire  to  be  released  from  our  engage 
ment  I  wish  that  you  would  say  so,  frankly.  I 
have  been  told,"  she  went  on  desperately,  for  he 
stood  still  as  if  he  had  been  frozen  into  silence, 
' '  that  you  have  more  than  once  refused  to  marry 
someone,  after  having  promised.  .  . " 

But  Kurk  Kaleen  had  heard  enough  to  satisfy 
him  that  it  was  pride  and  not  her  lack  of  love  for 
him  that  stood  between  him  and  the  happiness  he 
craved.  He  did  not  let  her  finish  all  that  she  had 
evidently  meant  to  say,  but  smothered  the  last 
few  words  that  were  indeed  already  on  her  lips, 
against  his  breast.  Holding  her  closely  within  the 
circle  of  his  arms,  between  the  kisses,  he  showered 
on  her  soft,  red  lips,  he  whispr red: 

1 '  Dear  little  girl,  we  must  never  allow  anything 
to  come  between  us  again!  There  is  nothing  in 
this  world  big  enough  to  overshadow  love.  Pride 
must  fall,  jealousy  flee,  before  it!  My  love  for 
you  is  the  strongest  and  purest  emotion  of  which 
I  am  capable !  Even  if  we  should  grow  very  old 
together — I  would  not  then  have  time  enough  to 
prove  to  you  how  much  I  love  you  The  love  that 
you  in  your  sweet  innocence  have  given  me  is  the 
most  precious  jewel  I  have  ever  had,  can  ever 
have,  in  my  keeping !  There  is  nothing  anywhere 
in  this  wide  world,  or  yet  in  any  world  beyond 
this  one,  that  I  would  accept  in  exchange  for  you. 
Let  us  never  again  torture  each  other  by  even 
thinking  of  separation!  As  I  told  you  long  ago, 
dear  little  one,  we  two  were  intended,  from  the 
very  beginning,  each  for  the  other.  And  soon/' 
he  ended,  holding  her  at  arms '  length  and  looking 
rapturously  into  her  animated,  blushing  face, ' '  we 
will  belong,  utterly,  to  each  other ! ' ' 


XXVIII 

On  the  day  that  was  to  be  her  wedding  day  Bet- 
tina  Wane  rose  even  earlier  than  usual.  She  left 
the  house  quietly,  with  the  intention  of  taking 
alone  a  sort  of  farewell  view  of  the  scenes  with 
which  from  her  earliest  recollection  she  had  been 
most  familiar.  She  had  not  gone  far  however 
before  she  heard  the  quick  patter  of  agile  feet, 
and  a  cold  nose  just  touched  her  hand  in  passing 
as  Bonny  bounded  into  the  path  that  was  before 
her,  and  frisked  along  well  pleased  at  the  prospect 
of  the  morning  ramble.  The  girl  called  her  pet 
back  and  told  her  to  walk  beside  her,  which  she 
did  soberly,  suiting  her  pace  to  that  of  her  young 
mistress.  After  a  little  the  dog's  ears  were  point 
ed  sharply  forward,  raised  a  little  as  if  she  were 
listening  intently,  and  soon  her  bushy  tail  began 
to  slowly  wave.  Bettina  was  as  sure  then  as  if 
she  had  been  told  in  actual  words  that  her  old 
nurse  had  discovered  her  absence,  and  was  in 
pursuit.  Soon  she  descried  the  old  woman's 
clumsy  form  approaching,  and  turning  about  the 
girl  went  back  over  the  path  she  had  just 
traversed.  Almost  before  she  was  in  hailing 
distance  old  Margaret  began: 

"I  do  be  minded,  darlin',  of  how  once,  whin 
you  were  a  wee  wan,  ye  shlipped  away  from  me— 
for  you  were  only  jist  as  full  of  mischief  as  ither 
wee  wans — an'  afther  I  had  hunted  ivery  where 
an'  couldn't  find  ye  anny where,  I  found  ye  here, 
toddlin'  along  as  bold  as  annything,  yer  blue  eyes 
shinin',  wid  a  flower  that  ye'd  pulled  off  of  its 
stim,  all  withered  up  an '  dyin ',  in  yer  hand. ' ' 

132 


GROUNDED  133 

"Margaret  dear,"  the  girl  said  softly,  "Mar 
garet  dear,  I  caused  you  lots  of  worry,  didn't  I?" 

"Darlin',"  cried  the  old  woman  fervently,  "I 
wish  wid  all  my  heart  that,  instid  of  bein '  at  this 
ind  of  the  journey  we've  wint  togither,  we  cud  be 
at  the  beginnin'  of  it!  I  don't  now  remimber  a 
single  stip  I  iver  took  for  yer  swate  sake  I  wudn't 
take  agin  wid  joy!  I  do  be  afther  wonderin', 
manny  toimes  I  do  be  afther  wonderin',  will  ye 
iver  forget  the  manny  good  toimes  that  we  've  had, 
the  baith  of  us  at  the  same  toime,  togither  I" 

' '  You  can  remind  me  of  them,  Margaret  dear, ' ' 
Bettina  answered  cheerily  and  lovingly,  "in  case 
you  think  that  there  is  any  danger  that  I'll  forget 
them.  As  I  Ve  often  told  you,  Margaret  dear,  you 
will  be  always  near  me. ' r 

"Darlin',"  Margaret  O'Keefe's  old  hands,  as 
well  as  her  old  voice,  were  shaking,  "  I  do  be  afther 
askin '  ye  wan  question  that  I  niver  yit  have  asked 
—do  ye  be  afther  thinkin'  that,  if  yer  mither  cud 
be  here  wid  us  this  day,  if  yer  mither  cud  be 
standin'  here,"  for  in  her  earnestness  she  had 
come  to  a  complete  and  cumbersome  standstill, 
"instid  o'  me,  she  wud  be  doin'  annything  for  her 
wee  wan  that  auld  Margaret  cud  do  an'  has  not 
done?" 

"Margaret  dear,"  the  girl  said,  putting  her 
hands  on  the  old  woman's  shoulders  and  looking 
affectionately  into  her  eyes,  "if  I  had  been  your 
own  wee  wan,  you  could  not  have  been  kinder  to 
me,  more  thoughtful  of  me,  than  you  have  been. 
My  mother,  as  I  hope,"  she  added  solemnly,  "is 
watching  over  me  today,  and  could  she  speak  to  us 
I  think  that  she  would  thank  you  for  the  care 
that  you  have  given  me — and  tell  me  never  to 
allow  anything,  while  we  both  live,  to  keep  me 
permanently  from  you." 


134  GROUNDED 

As  the  three  companions  turned  toward  the 
house  they  ascended  a  little  knoll  from  which 
considerable  of  the  surrounding  country  could  be 
plainly  seen.  When  they  had  reached  the  top  of 
it  Bettina  Wane  stood  still,  and  with  folded  arms 
looked  about  her ;  the  old  nurse  watched  her,  weep 
ing  as  silently  as  she  could;  and  the  wondering 
dog  stood  between  the  two  women,  looking  first  at 
one  of  them,  then  at  the  other.  Bonny  knew  that 
something  that  would  greatly  affect  the  lives  of 
all  three  was  about  to  happen.  She  did  not  know 
Avhat  it  was  or  how  it  would  affect  them,  but  she 
felt  the  tenseness  of  the  mental  atmosphere  and 
was  conscious  of  suppressed  excitement.  After 
a  short  time  during  which  no  word  was  spoken, 
the  girl,  followed  by  her  two  companions,  passed 
quietly  along  the  well-known  path  in  which  the 
three  had  so  often  walked  before. 

Just  at  midday  Bettina  Wane  and  Kurk  Kaleen 
stood  before  the  few  persons  assembled  in  the 
library  where  the  girl  had  spent  so  many  hours 
of  her  maidenhood,  and  took  upon  themselves  the 
vows  that  made  them  man  and  wife.  Almost  im 
mediately  after  the  ceremony  the  few  guests  dis 
persed.  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  depar 
ture  of  the  young  couple  upon  their  contemplated 
journey,  and  until  these  were  completed  all  was 
bustle  and  activity  in  and  about  the  place.  When 
all  the  preparations  had  been  finished  and  the 
time  decided  upon  had  not  yet  actually  arrived, 
there  was  a  lull. 

Walter  Wane  had  witnessed  the  marriage  of  his 
daughter  with  an  outward  appearance  of  what 
almost  any  disinterested  onlooker  would  have  said 
approached  indifference;  after  the  nuptial  cere 
mony  had  been  performed  he  had  acted,  as  the 
father  of  the  bride,  with  native  dignity  and  easy 


GROUNDED  135 

grace.  WJien  the  outsiders  went  away  he  retired 
to  his  study  with  scarcely  the  exchange  of  a  pri 
vate  word  with  either  his  daughter  or  her  hus 
band  ;  there  he  quietly  remained  until  just  before 
the  arrival  of  the  time  for  Bettina's  going  away 
from  her  childhood 's  home.  Then,  swiftly  and  yet 
without  haste,  he  appeared  before  the  young  cou 
ple.  As  Mr.  Wane  approached  they  moved  for 
ward  to  meet  him,  Bettina's  features  displaying 
the  great  respect,  amounting  almost  to  reverence, 
that  she  had  always  felt  toward  him.  Upon  the 
young  man's  countenance  there  was  some  slight 
embarrassment,  it  is  true,  but  this  was  far  out 
weighed  by  another  and  much  more  powerful  emo 
tion,  that  indeed  dominated  and  directed  the  whole 
force  of  his  being.  This  was  the  sort  of  triumphant 
buoyancy  that  almost  invariably  accompanies  the 
attainment,  by  a  human  being,  of  an  end  that  has 
been  greatly  desired;  this  emotion  gave  an  added 
brilliancy  to  his  fine  dark  eyes,  and  made  his  face 
seem  older  and  more  sedate,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  had  never  before  appeared  so  vitally  young. 
It  was  as  if  he  carried  with  him  an  enchanted, 
most  magnetic  atmosphere  by  which  he  himself 
was  so  completely  surrounded  that  the  magic  in 
fluence  reached  out  and  enveloped  even  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  Mr.  Wane  was  con 
scious  of  the  strength  of  this  emotion,  and  recog 
nized  in  it  a  feeling  he  himself  had  known.  He 
stopped,  directly  in  front  of  the  young  pair  and 
regarding  them  seriously,  said  with  great  candor : 
"  You  are  now  upon  the  threshold  of  an  intimate 
companionship  such  as  neither  of  you  have,  before 
this,  known  from  your  actual  experience.  Mar 
riage  is  different  than  any  other  relation  that  can 
exist  between  two  people.  You  two  are  now  to 
gether,  set  apart  from  the  rest  of  your  kind.  You 


136  GROUNDED 

have  declared  openly,  before  the  world,  that  you 
prefer  each  other  to  everything  else  of  which  you 
are  conscious.  It  is  now  possible  for  each  of  you 
to  bring  to  the  other  supreme  happiness — and  at 
the  same  time  it  is  also  possible  for  you  to  bring, 
each  to  the  other,  untold  suffering  and  lasting 
sorrow.  The  way  in  which  this  marvelous  power 
can  be  exerted  by  you  is  for  you,  alone,  to  dis 
cover.  No  two  individuals  are  sufficiently  alike  to 
warrant  me — for  I  am  but  another  human  be 
ing — in  giving  you  exact  advice." 


XXIX 

With  funds  furnished  by  his  father,  Kurk  Ka- 
leen  had  provided  a  comfortable  and  in  some 
respects  luxurious  abiding  place  to  which  he  in 
tended,  a  few  weeks  after  their  marriage,  to 
return  with  his  bride.  Bettina  had  arranged  to 
have  old  Margaret  repair  to  the  new  home  soon 
after  she  herself  had  left  her  father's  house,  as 
she  felt  certain  that  the  old  woman  would  be 
happier  during  her  absence,  busily  engaged  in 
preparing  for  her  return,  than  she  would  if  left 
to  brood  beside  the  nest,  from  which  the  one  for 
whom  she  cared  had  flown. 

On  the  morning  the  old  nurse  arrived  at  the 
new  domicile  she,  feeling  the  importance  of  the 
position  that  she  occupied  as  the  representative 
of  the  mistress  of  the  place,  made  a  deliberate 
survey  of  the  premises ;  she  was  accompanied  upon 
this  tour  by  one  who  was  as  curious  and  at  the 
same  time  anxious  as  she  herself.  The  collie  nosed 
out  everything  that  had  been  even  handled  by 
Bettina  and  when,  as  sometimes  happened,  she 
came  upon  some  of  the  girl 's  own  personal  belong 
ings,  she  gave  unmistakable  evidence  of  her  great 
satisfaction,  followed  up  each  clue  she  thought 
she  'd  found,  and  showed  her  disappointment  when 
she  failed  to  find  her  mistress  after  each  search 
was  ended.  There  was  one  room  particularly  at 
tractive  to  both  the  woman  and  the  dog.  To  this 
they  would  return  from  time  to  time,  and  settle 
down  as  if  they  felt  more  natural  and  at  home 
there  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  commodious 
dwelling.  About  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  they 

137 


138  GROUNDED 

had  wandered  back  to  what,  as  it  appeared  to 
them,  was  the  safest  and  best  place  that  they  could 
find.  Old  Margaret  was  seated  in  a  low,  wooden 
rocking-chair  and  Bonny  stood  beside  the  chair, 
with  her  long,  sharp  muzzle  resting  on  her  good 
friend's  lap.  The  old  nurse  had  been  upon  the 
verge  of  tears,  and  as  the  collie's  great,  brown, 
sympathetic  eyes  looked  up  into  her  face  she 
gently  stroked  the  golden  head,  and  lifted  up  a 
corner  of  her  apron,  wiping  first  one  dim  eye  and 
then  the  other  as  she  said : 

"  I  do  be  af ther  wonderin '  where  our  own  darl- 
in*  is  this  day,  an'  if  she  do  be  remimbrin'!  I  do 
be  mindin'  how,  whin  she  had  only  been  away  an 
hour  or  so,  she  wud  go  runnin'  through  the  house 
an'  out  intil  the  yard,  annywhere  an'  iverywhere 
at  all,  at  all,  until  she'd  find  us,  baith  of  us  at  the 
same  toime  togither,  you  an '  me !  I  do  be  wonder- 
in'  why  it  is  that  dogs  and  women  have  to  suffer 
so,  an'  only  jist  because  they  do  be  afther  lovin' 
something  else  besides  thimselves !  If  she  onct 
sint  for  us  we'd  go  to  her,  the  baith  of  us  at  the 
same  time  togither,  through  fire  an'  flood,  an' 
thick  an'  thin,  an'  burnin'  turf,  an'  even  holy 
water,"  she  startled  herself  by  this  last  assertion, 
but  did  not  retract  it.  "But  here  we  be  like  two 
big  ninnies,  widout  a  thought  bechune  us  baith 
but  only  jist  to  mourn.  An'  thin  we  do  be  afther 
thinkin'  how  'twill  be  whin  she  wid  her  blue  eyes 
shinin'  an'  her  swate  voice  callin',  will  be  wid 
us  again!  An  so,"  she  ended,  as  she  arose  from 
the  chair,  and  closely  followed  by  the  dog  was 
about  to  leave  the  room,  "as  long  as  there  do  be 
such  unsuspicted  ninnies  as  dogs  and  women, 
annywhere,  there  will  be  sufferin'  an'  love.  An' 
yit,"  she  added,  as  if  she  felt  that  she  should 
modify  the  statement  she  had  made,  "our  darlin' 


GROUNDED  139 

is  so  swate  an'  clane  that  nayther  wan  of  us  shud 
be  called  a  ninny  only  jist  for  lovin'  her." 

She  had  almost  reached  the  door  and  as  she 
was  about  to  open  it  she  turned  and  idly  looked 
behind  her,  catching  sight  dimly  of  her  own  re 
flection  in  a  long  mirror  that  had  been  placed  be 
tween  two  windows  in  such  a  manner  as  to  ex 
actly  face  the  door.  Instantly  she  crouched  upon 
the  floor  in  as  small  a  heap  as  she  could  make  her 
self,  threw  her  apron  over  her  head  and  began 
to  rock  back  and  forth,  croning  a  queer  little, 
broken  lullaby  in  a  high,  cracked  voice,  the  accents 
of  which  evidenced  her  superstitious  fears  and 
penitential  pleading.  Bonny  took  no  part  in  this 
remarkable  performance,  but  stood  quietly  at  some 
little  distance  from  the  old  woman,  watching  her 
with  great  interest,  as  was  shown  by  the  animated 
expression  of  her  face  and  the  cocked  condition 
of  her  sensitive  ears.  At  length  the  song,  if  so  it 
could  be  called,  dwindled  down;  finally  came  to 
an  end,  and  then  old  Margaret,  wallowing  around, 
awkwardly,  managed  after  awhile  to  get  upon  her 
lumbering  old  knees.  In  this  prayerful  attitude, 
with  hands  clasped  together  and  held  up  until 
they  were  about  even  with  her  chin,  eyes  tightly 
closed  and  twitching  nervously,  she  lifted  her 
voice  in  supplication: 

"I  do  be  afther  askin'  ye,  dear  hivinly  Father, 
to  kape  from  my  poor  wee  wan  the  danger  that 
do  be  afther  threatenin'  her  swate  loife!  Bring 
her  back  til  me,  dear  hivinly  Father,  bring  my 
own  darlin'  back  til  me — an'  I  do  be  afther  prom- 
isin'  that  niver,  from  the  toime  that  I  set  these 
auld  eyes  on  her  swate  face  again,  will  Margaret 
O'Keefe  spake  annything  excipt  with  great  re- 
spict  concernin'  holy  water.  I  do  be  afther  know- 
in  '  what  ye  mane,  dear  hivinly  Father,  by  sindin ' 


140  GROUNDED 

me  the  warnin'  that  I've  only  jist  resaved ;  I  know 
my  wee  wan  is  in  danger,  an'  if  auld  Margaret 
cud  kape  it  from  her  she  wud  gladly  put  hersilf 
bechune  it  an'  her  darlin'.  I  hope  that  there  will 
niver  be  necissity  to  sind  amther  warnin'  to  auld 
Margaret,  but  whin  ye  do  be  sindin'  her  anither 
one,  I  do  be  afther  askin'  ye,  dear  hivinly  Father, 
I  do  be  afther  askin'  ye  to  plaze  sind  down  a 
better-lookin'  angel — wan  that  do  be  not  so  wild 
an'  scairt  an'  sinseless  as  the  wan  ye  sint  today." 

On  the  day  it  was  expected  that  the  bride  and 
groom  would  enter  their  new  home  Margaret 
O'Keefe  was  very  busy.  Bonny  followed  her  pa 
tiently  from  place  to  place,  but  did  not  interfere 
with  any  of  her  numerous  activities.  She  picked 
up  every  broom,  both  large  and  small,  that  she 
could  find,  and  carried  them  to  a  spot  that  she 
had  selected  as  the  safest  one  available  for  tem 
porary  concealment. 

"There!"  she  exclaimed,  partly  to  herself  and 
partly  to  her  canine  companion,  ''me  darlin'  can't 
stip  over  anny  of  thim  now!" 

She  herself  made  the  bride's  cake  that  was  to 
be  served  as  a  portion  of  the  first  meal  of  which 
the  newly  married  pair  would  partake  under  their 
own  roof;  she  carefully  measured  and  tested  the 
ingredients  of  this  cake,  putting  in  just  the  right 
kinds  and  amounts  of  spices  and  fruits  as  well  as 
other  necessary  materials,  so  that,  as  she  believed, 
the  young  wife  would  have  every  opportunity  to 
find  variety  as  well  as  happiness  in  her  new  life. 
She  spent  considerable  time  and  energy  in  col 
lecting  old  shoes,  and  she  had  quantities  of  rice 
for  use  at  a  moment's  notice.  She  made  these 
preparations  with  the  hope  that  in  this  way  she 
would  prevent  Bettina  from  ever  being  footsore 
or  hungry.  She  diligently  made  preparations  so 


GROUNDED  141 

that,  no  matter  in  what  way  the  bride  would  ap 
proach  the  house,  she  would  enter  her  own  door 
for  the  first  time  by  passing  over  a  pathway  lined 
with  flowers. 

AVhen  the  young  couple  actually  did  arrive,  the 
old  nurse  had  been  stationed  for  some  time  where 
she  could  command  a  complete  view  of  the  street, 
so  that  she  wras  at  the  outer  door  when  they 
reached  it.  The  first  thing  they  saw  when  they 
opened  this  door  was  a  small,  bright  basin  that 
old  Margaret  was  holding  out  toward  them  with 
as  much  dignity  and  solemnity  as  she  could  mus 
ter  for  the  occasion.  In  this  basin  was  a  small 
quantity  of  holy  water  which,  as  they  entered,  she 
emptied  upon  them,  believing  that  in  this  way  she 
kept  evil  spirits  from  crossing  their  own  threshold 
with  them. 

11  Margaret,  dear!"  cried  Bettina,  settling  down 
for  a  few  moments  in  a  little  wrooden  rocking- 
chair,  "it  surely  seems  like  home  to  me  to  find 
you  two—  '  for  she  had  taken  Bonny 's  face  be 
tween  her  hands,  and  was  looking  deeply  into  the 
great  brown  eyes  " — waiting  for  me  here." 


When  Kurk  Kaleen  appeared  socially  for  the 
first  time  with  his  wife  they  were  the  cynosure  of 
many  eyes.  Among  those  who  sought  an  intro 
duction  to  the  bride  were  some  who  were  actuated 
almost  exclusively  by  curiosity,  while  others  really 
wished  to  become  acquainted  with  the  diffident 
but  exceedingly  attractive  girl  who  had,  without 
openly  entering  the  lists  at  all,  won  a  heart  and 
hand  over  the  attainment  of  which  many  fierce 
although  often  silent  battles  had  been  fought. 
Among  the  first  were  Lena  Burton  and  her  father. 
They  came  up  together  and  after  congratulations 
had  been  easily  and  gracefully  given  the  two  girls 
naturally  began  to  converse  together,  while  Mr. 
Burton  addressed  himself  particularly  to  the 
young  man.  After  a  time,  however,  the  older 
man  spoke  directly  to  the  young  wife: 

"I  met  your  mother,"  he  said  kindly,  "when 
she  was  traveling  in  America  with  your  father." 

The  expression  of  Bettina's  face,  that  had  up 
to  that  moment  been  one  of  polite  interest, 
changed  at  once.  Her  eyes  became  brighter,  the 
color  in  her  soft  cheeks  deepened,  her  entire 
countenance  became  more  animated  and  she  lean 
ed  a  little  toward  the  speaker,  as  if  she  did  not 
wish  to  lose  the  sound  of  a  single  syllable  of  what 
he  chose  to  say.  When  he  had  ceased  speaking 
she  asked  earnestly: 

"Do  you  think  that  I  resemble  her  in  any  way? 
I  have  never  known,"  she  explained  to  the  other 
members  of  the  little  group,  "anything  of  my 

142 


GROUNDED  143 

mother's  personal  appearance  except  what  my 
old  nurse  has  told  me." 

''Your  mother,"  he  began,  "was  a  smaller 
woman  than  you.  I  remember  that  the  top  of  her 
head  barely  came  to  your  father's  shoulder.  Your 
mother 's  age  must  have  been  about  the  same  that 
yours  is,  the  last  time  I  saw  her,  although  I  be 
lieve  she  appeared  somewhat  older  than  you  do. 
Her  eyes  were  considerably  darker  than  yours 
are,  but  your  hair  is  almost  exactly  the  color  that 
hers  was ;  your  voice, ' '  he  ended,  * '  resembles  hers 
greatly. ' ' 

"Do  I,"  she  then  inquired  eagerly,  "seem  to 
you  at  all  as  my  father  did,  when  he  was  young 
and  happy?" 

Mr.  Burton  looked  at  her,  smiling  reminiscently. 

' '  I  have  never  met  a  more  determined  and  yet  a 
more  conservative  young  fellow  than  your  father. 
He  had  very  decided  opinions  anr1  was  frank  in 
expressing  them,  even  if  he  knew  that  they  would 
meet  with  strenuous  opposition.  He  was  ideal 
istic,  yet  practical  and  reasonable.  He  was  a 
charming  conversationalist,  a  fluent  and  interest 
ing  talker.  He  was  an  ardent  humanitarian,  a 
consistent  believer  in  the  rights  of  everything 
that  lives.  I  never  knew  anyone  who  seemed  to 
be  as  anxious  as  was  he  to  meet  and  study  into 
the  mentalities  of  other  human  beings.  Yet  they 
tell  me  that  he  has  for  years  led  a  secluded  and 
almost  a  solitary  life." 

"I  wonder,"  said  Bettina,  shaken  out  of  her 
usual  diffidence  by  this  description  of  the  one 
whom  she  had  always  almost  worshipped,  "if  un 
der  circumstances  similar  to  those  that  surround 
ed  his  upbringing  I  might  have  developed  a  per 
sonality  that  resembled  his!" 

"Your  daily  association  with  him,"  reasoned 


144  GROUNDED 

Mr.  Burton  in  spite  of  a  warning  glance  his 
daughter  cast  in  his  direction,  "must  have  over 
come  to  a  great  extent  the  dissimilarity  in  your 
childish  surroundings.  By  the  way,"  he  went  on, 
obtusely  disregarding  his  daughter's  well-meant 
endeavors  to  stop  him,  "is  your  father  continu 
ing  the  study  in  which  he  was  formerly  so  much 
interested,  or  has  he  laid  it  aside  for  something 
else.  And  if  so,  what  line  of  thought  is  he  now 
engaged  upon?" 

Kurk  Kaleen  had  been  watching  the  expres 
sions  that  came  and  went  on  his  young  wife's  face, 
and  seeing  a  baffled,  cornered  look  begin  to  take 
the  place  that  had  been  filled  by  satisfied  pride 
and  affectionate  longing,  decided  it  was  time  for 
him  to  interfere.  Accordingly,  without  giving 
Bettina  an  opportunity  to  answer  the  question 
addressed  to  her,  he  himself,  speaking  as  care 
lessly  as  possible,  replied: 

"I  believe  that  Mr.  Wane  has  been  quietly 
carrying  on  the  study  to  which  you  refer ;  that  is, 
he  has  been  following  out  certain  lines  of  research 
closely  connected  with  it.  I  think,"  he  went  on, 
gratified  to  see  the  helpless  look  upon  the  face 
that  he  was  watching  give  place  to  an  expression 
of  mild  wonder,  "that  he  will  soon  return  to  the 
same  field  of  endeavor  in  which  he  was  working 
at  the  time  you  met  him — in  fact,  I  hope  that  we," 
smilingly  indicating  the  other  member  of  his  new 
family,  "may  be  able  to  assist,  perhaps  accom 
pany  him,  in  this  work." 

"I  am  sure  it  is  a  worthy  one,"  asserted  Mr. 
Burton,  and  added,  smilingly  regarding  Walter 
Wane's  daughter,  "you  and  your  father  have  an 
efficient  helper  now." 

After  the  exchange  of  appropriate  courtesies, 
Lena  Burton  and  her  father  moved  on  to  other 


GROUNDED  145 

groups,  but  not  before  the  American  girl  had  sent 
another  barbed  shaft  winging  its  way  toward  the 
defenseless  heart  of  Kurk  Kaleen's  bride.  Just 
before  they  separated  she  whispered: 

' '  Do  not  be  surprised,  Bettina,  if  your  husband 
is  often  away  from  home." 

The  young  man  was  pleasantly  satisfied  to  find 
how  easily  he  had  adjusted  himself  to  the  rela 
tions  that  he  had  so  recently  assumed,  and  turn 
ing  to  his  companion  when  they  were  again  for  a 
few  moments,  alone,  said  to  her  in  a  guarded  tone 
of  voice: 

"Dear  little  girl,  I  hope  that  I  may  be  always 
at  hand  when  you  need  my  protection." 

Bettina  did  not  answer  him  in  words,  but  her 
eyes  were  dark  and  humid,  and  the  long  look  they 
gave  him  was  full  of  faith  and  human  love. 

The  girl  was  like  a  sturdy,  vigorous  young  tree 
that  has  been  always  solitary,  spreading  its 
healthy,  glistening  leaves  beneath  the  wide  blue 
sky,  sending  its  roots  deep  down  into  the  yielding 
and  life-giving  earth,  finding  only  strength  and 
beauty  in  both  sunshine  and  rain,  without  support 
and  needing  none;  until  at  length  it  is  trans 
planted  to  an  entirely  different  atmosphere ;  until 
it  feels  upon  its  delicate  and  untried  twigs  the 
impact  of  strange  upbuilding  or  destructive 
forces,  until  it  trembles  or  is  powerfully  shaken 
by  the  approach  of  sudden  storms.  Then,  if  it  find 
nearby  another  sturdy,  vigorous  young  tree 
already  acclimated,  it  gladly  leans  against  it.  And 
the  branches  of  the  two  intertwine,  so  that  they 
are  united  and  together  meet  whatever  winds  may 
blow. 


XXXI 

Kurk  Kaleen  had  never  been  compelled  to  earn 
his  own  livelihood,  and  yet  he  had  not  been  en 
tirely  dependent  upon  his  parents  for  support,  as 
a  maternal  ancestor  had  willed  him  a  steady  in 
come.  His  education  had  been  liberal  and  during 
its  acquisition  he  had  met  those  who  had  opened 
certain  social  doors  that  otherwise  might  have  re 
mained  closed.  Once  inside  he  had  not  needed 
other  aid  than  his  own  natural  gifts.  His  father, 
having  been  held  back  as  he  believed  because  he 
had  to  depend  in  every  way  upon  his  own  efforts, 
was  very  ambitious  as  to  his  son's  career  and 
hoped  that,  through  the  latter  rs  association  with 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  diplomats  and  states 
men  he  might — with  his  own  extremely  fascinat 
ing  personality  and  the  fact  that  he  was  not  handi 
capped  by  poverty  as  he  himself  hadbeen — advance 
until  he  had  reached  a  position  of  high  honor,  pos 
sibly  even  fame.  It  seemed  to  the  father  that  a 
suitable  matrimonial  alliance  would  greatly  assist 
Kurk  in  forging  ahead  of  the  majority  of  those 
with  whom  he  was  associated,  and  as  Lena  Bur 
ton,  besides  being  the  daughter  of  the  American 
ambassador,  was  in  every  way  that  wealth,  edu 
cation  and  personal  advantages  could  make  her,  a 
perfect  match  for  his  handsome  and  gifted  son. 
The  girl  was  particularly  desirable  as  the  boy's 
life  partner.  Hence  it  was  that  he  had  tried  in 
every  way  to  hinder  and  failing  in  this,  had  ac 
cepted  with  great  dissatisfaction,  his  marriage  to 
Bettina  Wane,  whom  he  recognized  only  as  a 
modest,  gentle,  virtuous  and  well-intentioned  girl. 

146 


GROUNDED  147 

After  the  conference,  with  her  father,  upon  which 
indeed  the  latter  had  insisted,  he  had  for  her  a 
deeper  respect  than  he  had  had  before,  but  he  was 
still  far  from  being  reconciled  to  her  as  a  daugh 
ter-in-law.  In  fact,  the  more  he  thought  about  the 
matter,  the  more  displeased  he  became  with  an 
arrangement  that  had  been  carried  out  against  his 
will,  although  he  himself  had  been  the  unwitting 
cause  of  the  meeting  that  had  led  up  to  it. 

One  day  not  long  after  Kurk  Kaleen's  marriage, 
Lena  Burton,  much  to  her  amazement,  was  handed 
his  father's  calling  card.  As  soon  as  he  was 
ushered  in  he  took  advantage  of  the  fact  that  he 
happened  to  find  her  alone,  by  speaking  with  the 
utmost  frankness. 

"I  wish  to  ask  you  something,  Miss  Burton 
that  may  sound  strangely  coming  from  me,  espe 
cially  at  this  time.  I  want  to  ask  you,  Miss  Bur 
ton,  whether  or  not  my  son  ever  definitely  made 
a  proposal  of  marriage  to  you?  I  am  asking  you 
this,"  he  explained  without  waiting  for  a  reply, 
'  *  so  that  I  may  know  how  to  govern  myself  con 
cerning  a  matter  that  will  very  soon  be  presented 
for  my  consideration.  I  wish  to  assure  you  that 
any  information  you  may  give  me  will  be  looked 
upon  as  sacred." 

At  this  one  time,  in  all  her  ife,  the  girl's  almost 
unlimited  self-assurance  came  near  to  failing  her. 
She  moistened  her  red  lips  as  if  to  find  a  passage 
for  the  words  that  she  was  having  some  difficulty 
in  mustering  into  her  service.  At  length,  as  if 
she  had  just  managed  to  bring  her  forces  into 
battle  formation,  she  looked  at  her  visitor  wonder- 
ingly,  and  exclaimed: 

"I  didn't  suppose  that  anyone  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic  would  say  a  thing  like  this !  I  wonder, ' ' 
she  went  on,  regarding  him  sharply,"  if  you  are 


148  GROUNDED 

altogether  sane!  I  tell  you  what  I'll  do,"  going 
over  to  a  house  telephone,  "I'll  call  my  father," 
taking  down  the  receiver,  "and  let  him  talk  to 
you ! ' ' 

She  called  her  father,  but  while  she  was  waiting 
for  his  answer  she  heard  someone  come  into  the 
hall.  Rushing  to  the  door  that  opened  into  it 
she  saw  that  he  had  just  entered  the  house. 

"Dad!"  she  cried  excitedly,  "Dad!  Come,  I 
want  you!" 

"What  is  it,  Lena?"  asked  Mr.  Burton  placidly 
as  he  entered  the  room,  expecting  to  find  as  usual 
some  insignificant  cause  for  the  attitude  she  had 
taken.  ' '  Tell  me  all  about  it,  daughter ! "  he  went 
on,  realizing  that  her  face  was  pale  and  that  her 
hands  as  they  clung  to  his  arm  were  trembling. 
"Tell  your  dad  all  about  it."  Then,  noticing  for 
the  first  that  they  were  not  alone,  he  addressed  the 
other  man,  "Did  you  wish  to  see  me,  sir!" 

Kurk  Kaleen's  father  knew  that  he  had  crowd 
ed  himself  into  a  very  uncomfortable  corner,  into 
a  place  it  would  be  hard  to  get  out  of  gracefully. 
He  looked  at  his  interrogator  soberly,  for  a  long 
moment,  before  he  answered  him: 

"I  came  here  to  ask  Miss  Burton  for  some 
information  that  I  wished,  very  much,  to  gain. 
She,  however,"  evidently  with  keen  disappoint 
ment,  "does  not  seem  disposed  to  tell  me  what 
I  want  to  know." 

Mr.  Burton  looked  inquiringly  at  his  daughter, 
and  then  appraisingly  at  her  visitor.  After  a 
while,  addressing  the  latter,  who  lingered  as  if 
still  hoping  to  gain  the  end  he  sought,  he  said : 

"I  must  leave  my  daughter's  decision  in  this 
matter  to  her  own  good  judgment.  She  has  had 
considerable  experience  and  is  usually  very  just 
and  reasonable.  However,"  he  ended,  noting  that 


GROUNDED  149 

an  expression  almost  of  despair  was  settling  over 
the  other  man's  countenance,  "if  she  wishes  to 
consult  with  me  we  will  talk  the  matter  over  when 
we  are  alone.  And,  if  we  decide  that  it  is  best,  we 
will  communicate  with  you. ' ' 

To  say  that  Kurk  Kaleen's  father  was  crest 
fallen  would  not  adequately  express  the  condition 
of  his  mind,  for  he  had  counted  a  great  deal  upon 
this  interview,  and  as  it  appeared  now  it  had  been 
a  complete  failure.  He  therefore  turned,  sadly 
and  silently,  and  bowing  courteously  to  the  am 
bassador  and  his  daughter  was  about  to  leave  the 
room,  when  suddenly  the  ringing  accents  of  the 
girl's  clear  voice  arrested  him: 

"What  he  wanted  me  to  tell  him,  Dad,  was 
whether  his  son,  who  is  now  married,  had  ever 
asked  me  to  marry  him!"  and  then,  the  humor 
of  the  situation  striking  her,  she  went  off  into 
peal  after  peal  of  musical  laugher,  so  infectious 
that  the  two  men  in  spite  of  everything  began  to 
smile  sympathetically. 

After  she  had  gone  clear  to  the  top  of  the  scale 
of  harmonious  tones,  and  down  to  the  bottom 
again,  over  and  over,  she  suddenly  ceased  laugh 
ing  and  going  across  the  room  to  where  her  caller 
was  standing,  stupidly  staring  at  her,  stopped  ex 
actly  in  front  of  him.  Dropping  a  curtsy,  she 
declared,  "It  grieves  me  sorely,  sir,  to  be  obliged 
to  inform  you  that  your  son  has  never  really 
out-and-out  in  so  many  irrevocable  words,  asked 
me  to  marry  him.  If  he  had,"  she  ended  saucily, 
and  yet  also  almost  seriously,  "you  might  have 
had — I  do  not  say  you  would  have  had,  and  yet, 
who  knows? — the  honor  to  be  my  father-in-law." 


XXXII 

Walter  Wane,  although  he  had  led  a  secluded 
and  almost  a  solitary  life,  had  become  accustomed 
to  certain  sounds  in  and  about  his  dwelling- 
place.  Bettina's  fresh,  clear  voice,  calling  in  the 
hall,  outside  his  study-door,  her  quick,  light  steps 
up  or  down  the  stairs  had  been  intimately  pleas 
ant  noises  to  which  he  had  listened,  if  uncon 
sciously,  gladly.  The  collie's  cheerful  bark,  ac 
companying  or  welcoming  her  mistress,  the  quick 
patter  of  her  agile  feet,  were  sounds  that  indicated 
to  the  lonely  man  youth  and  strength  and  happi 
ness.  Old  Margaret's  lumbering  tread  and  the 
quavering,  indefinite  tones  of  her  cracked  voice, 
whether  running  on  like  a  babbling  brook,  mon 
otonously  and  more  or  less  conversationally,  or 
raised  and  lowered  rhythmically,  according  to  her 
interpretation  of  harmonious,  lilting  melodies, 
were  considered  by  him  a  part  of  the  machinery 
of  his  household.  Barney  McCoy  had  felt  called 
upon  to  report  to  him,  at  regular  intervals,  the 
progress  of  his  pupil's  intellectual  advancement, 
and  for  this  reason  if  for  no  other  even  the 
egotistic  little  tutor's  absence  from  the  place  was 
greatly  felt  by  the  owner  of  it.  Walter  Wane  dis 
covered  that  his  almost  empty  house  cried  out  to 
him  as  if  it  were  protesting  against  its  own  empti 
ness,  as  if  its  hollow  voice  were  demanding,  voci 
ferously,  the  return  of  that  which  had  gone  out 
from  it. 

One  day  the  father  of  Bettina,  some  little  time 
after  her  marriage,  heard  a  quick,  light  tap  upon 
his  study  door,  as  if  it  had  been  made  by  a  strong 

150 


GROUNDED  151 

and  steady,  and  yet  a  delicate  and  nervous  hand. 
Rising  from  his  chair  he  crossed  the  room  hastily, 
fully  expecting,  when  he  opened  the  door,  to  see 
his  daughter  before  him.  lie  was  somewhat  sur 
prised  therefore,  to  meet  Lena  Burton's  cool  gray 
eyes.  He  held  the  door  wide  and  stepped  back, 
thus  silently  inviting  her  to  enter,  which  she  did 
at  once,  tripping  lithely  to  a  chair  that  faced  the 
one  in  which  he  usually  sat.  When  they  were  both 
comfortably  seated  the  visitor  began,  without  pre 
liminary  excuse. 

"Dad  has  often  told  me,  Mr.  Wane,  what  he 
could  remember  concerning  a  certain  study  in 
which  you  were  engaged  when  he  met  you  in 
America.  I  have  always  been  much  interested  in 
what  I  have  been  able  to  learn  about  this,  and  I 
should  like  very  much  to  understand  it  more  fully 
than  I  have  thus  far  been  able  to  do.  You  are  the 
only  one,  so  far  as  I  know, "  looking  at  him  appeal- 
ingly,  ' '  who  could  enlighten  me — and  I  have  been 
wondering  if  you  would  be  willing  to  do  so." 

She  stopped  and  looked  at  the  one  addressed,  as 
if  she  wished  to  see  what  effect  she  had  had  upon 
him.  After  a  moment's  inspection,  as  if  satisfied 
with  the  progress  she  had  made,  although  she  had 
not  succeeded  in  eliciting  any  remark  from  her 
host,  she  continued : 

"Of  course,  I  would  not  expect  regular  lessons 
or  anything  like  that,  but  I  thought  that  maybe," 
she  hesitated,  for  even  her  nonchalance  was  af 
fected  by  the  aloofness  of  his  manner,  "you  would 
give  me  some  ideas  as  to  what  books  to  read,  so 
that  I  might  at  least  gain  the  rudimentary  knowl 
edge  as  a  foundation  for  further  understanding. 
Sometime  you  might  again  visit  America,  and  if 
so  I  might  be  able  to  assist  you  in  some  way,  if 


152  GROUNDED 

bnly  I  knew  how  to  go  about  it.  And  so,"  she 
ended  a  little  lamely,  it  is  true,  and  still,  with  con 
siderable  remaining  spirit,  "I  thought  perhaps 
you  would  be  willing  to  help  me — find  the  way." 

The  man  who  faced  her  had  not  been  pursuing 
the  study  in  which  she  had  just  professed  so  great 
an  interest  altogether  fruitlessly,  for  as  he  looked 
upon  her  animated  countenance  and  listened  to  the 
eager,  even  anxious,  tones  of  her  smooth  voice  he 
sought  for  and  discovered  beneath  the  surface  of 
her  personality  what  seemed  the  underlying  mo 
tive  that  had  prompted  her  in  the  daring  step 
that  she  had  just  taken.  This  motive  was  not  en 
tirely  a  worthy  one;  in  fact,  the  more  carefully 
he  examined  into  it  the  more  fully  he  became  con 
vinced  that  it  was  almost  altogether  if  not  quite 
unworthy.  His  fatherly  instinct,  which  was  per 
haps  even  stronger  on  account  of  its  long  sup 
pression,  warned  him  that  in  some  way  his  own 
daughter's  happiness  or  at  the  least  her  peace 
of  mind  was  at  stake.  Taking  all  this  into  con 
sideration  he  guardedly  and  appraisingly  said: 

"The  study  to  which  you  refer  is  of  so  com 
plicated  and  far-reaching  a  nature  that  very  few 
could,  in  an  ordinary  life-time,  gain  sufficient  mas 
tery  of  it  to  enable  them  practically  to  use  the 
knowledge  furnished  through  its  consideration. 
I  may  sometime,"  he  went  on  courteously,  as  if 
the  matter  to  which  he  had  barely  referred  had 
been  entirely  disposed  of,  "visit  America  again 
and  in  that  case  I  should  certainly  try  to  renew  the 
very  pleasant  acquaintance  that  I  had  the  honor 
to  have  with  your  father."  Rising  as  if  he  con 
sidered  the  interview  about  to  be  closed,  "I  have 
some  very  vivid  memories  of  the  splendid  hos 
pitality  that  Mr.  Burton  extended  to  my  wife  and 
to  myself." 


GROUNDED  153 

Either  Walter  Wane  had  never  met  an  Amer 
ican  girl  who  was  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  one 
who  stood  before  him,  for  she  had  risen  when  he 
had  done  so,  or  he  had  forgotten  what  is  generally 
accepted  as  a  national  characteristic  of  her  coun 
trymen,  for  he  was  evidently  unprepared  for  and 
considerably  shocked  by  the  ease  with  which  she 
overlooked  his  dignified  attempts  to  evade  the  on 
slaught  she  had  made  upon  what  he  considered  his 
own  private  affairs.  She  walked  toward  the  door, 
politely  conducted  thither  by  her  host,  but  just 
before  they  reached  it  she  stopped,  and  meeting 
directly  his  detached  and  coldly  distant  gaze  de 
clared  : 

"I'll  have  Dad  come  down  here  with  me  soon, 
M!r.  Wane,  and  perhaps  in  the  meantime  you  will 
be  kind  enough  to  make  a  list  of  the  books  that  you 
think  I  ought  to  read  in  order  to  seriously  begin 
the  study  that  we  have  been  speaking  of.  I'm  sure 
that  you  've  been  very  good, ' '  smiling  brightly  into 
his  puzzled  face  and  extending  her  hand  to  him 
cordially,  l '  to  bother  with  me  at  all !  I  must  seem 
very  ignorant  to  you — but  I  really  want  to  learn. ' ' 


XXXIII 

Human  beings  are  sometimes  so  blinded  by 
what  seem  to  be  perfectly  natural  and  even  un 
avoidable  emotions  that  they  go  along  a  certain 
path  for  some  distance  before  they  fully  realize 
whither  it  is  leading.  Almost  any  new  environ 
ment  holds  within  itself,  through  its  very  strange 
ness,  a  sort  of  mysterious,  enticing  glamor  that 
may  be  but  a  thin,  well-polished  veneer  or,  on  the 
contrary,  some  reflection  of  dependable,  lasting 
qualities  that  are  beneath. 

Despite  old  Margaret's  many  affectionate  pre 
cautions,  and  even  the  depth  and  intensity  of  the 
passionate  admiration  that  she  felt  for  her  young 
husband,  Bettina  Kaleen  sat  one  day  in  the  low 
wooden  rocking-chair  that  was  part  of  the  fur 
nishings  of  her  own  room  and  looked  down,  fig 
uratively,  at  a  little  heap  of  dull  gray  ashes  that 
represented  to  her  all  that  remained  of  the  light 
and  warmth  of  a  faith  so  perfect  and  beautiful 
that  it  had  mounted  almost  to  the  height  of  a 
religious  fervor.  This  faith,  judged  according  to 
the  standards  of  the  pure-minded,  innocent  girl 
that  Bettina  Wane  had  been,  was  now  but  a 
caustic  and  most  disquieting  memory.  She  had 
looked  upon  everything  that  Kurk  Kaleen  had  told 
her  as  absolute  truth,  because  she  herself  was 
truthful.  After  they  had  been  actually  united  in 
marriage,  so  that  they  too  were  in  the  eyes  of  the 
law  and  of  society  as  one,  she  had  built  up, 
through  the  aid  of  her  imagination  an  imposing 
and  artistic  structure  in  which  they  two  alone 
could  dwell.  Within  this  was  to  be,  according  to 

154 


GROUNDED  155 

the  builder's  plan,  harmonious  and  lasting  love,  so 
strong  and  true  that  it  would  but  grow  stronger 
if  it  should  be  assailed  by  any  outside  influence. 
Those  inside  this  dwelling  could  look  out  upon  the 
world  readily  and  easily,  but  its  windows  were  so 
cunningly  constructed  that  they  became  at  once 
opaque  if  anyone  outside  attempted  even  casually 
to  inspect  any  portion  of  the  interior.  The  pri 
vacy  of  the  two  who  were  within  the  structure 
was  complete.  This  dwelling  that  Bettina  Kaleen 
had  built  was  when  she  had  finished  it  to  her 
entire  satisfaction,  fireproof — so  that  anger  or 
envy  or  malice  not  only  had  no  effect  upon  its 
stability,  but  were  effectually  turned  away  if  for 
any  reason  they  came  near;  it  was  also  burglar- 
proof — as  there  was  no  way  by  which  a  thief  could 
enter  it  except  through  the  connivance  of  one  of 
its  occupants.  She  had  named  this  structure  mar 
ital  faith,  typifying  what  alone  could  make  the 
union  of  the  two  beautiful,  or  for  her  even  pos 
sible.  The  girl  had  given  herself  wholly  to  her 
husband,  because  she  wras  a  strongly  sexed,  mag 
netic,  perfectly  normal  girl,  and  he  had  aroused  in 
her  because  of  his  fascinating  personality  and  the 
manly  love  he  professed,  a  wild  and  passionate, 
but  hitherto  dormant,  primitive  desire. 

At  the  same  time  she  was  possessed  of  a  keen, 
although  so  far  little-used  sagacity.  This  quality 
of  her  mentality  was  so  canny  that  it  could  ferret 
out  as  if  instinctively  the  most  minute  and  care 
fully  hidden  facts,  if  her  will  power  were  allowed 
full  sway  over  her  understanding.  And  it  was  her 
sagacity  that  called  her  attention  to  a  danger  that 
was  threatening  to  destroy  the  dwelling  which,  as 
she  supposed,  was  built  entirely  of  indestructible 
material.  All  the  strength  of  her  untarnished, 
wifely  love  flew  at  once  to  the  defense  of  her  mar- 


156  GROUNDED 

ital  faith,  and  she  even  tried  to  hoodwink  her  sa 
gacity  into  believing  it  had  been  mistaken  as  to  the 
threatened  danger.  But  when  doubt  once  as 
sumed  the  place  that  had  been  occupied  by  con 
fidence,  a  light  was  thrown  upon  what  her  sagacity 
had  discovered,  so  that  it  stood  out  clearly  and  she 
could  no  longer  be  mistaken  as  to  its  nature.  She 
was  too  young  and  naturally  well  poised  to  give 
herself  over  wholly  to  despair,  and  in  spite  of 
positive  proof  to  the  contrary  there  would  from 
time  to  time  creep  into  her  mind  a  hovering  hope 
that  she  would  somehow  soon  awaken  from  what 
seemed  to  her  an  ugly  dream.  Her  inner  life,  up 
to  the  time  of  her  marriage,  had  been  so  solitary 
that  it  did  not  occur  to  her  to  consult  with  anyone 
concerning  what  had  happened. 

Today  old  Margaret  came  in,  as  was  her  fre 
quent  custom,  and  seeing  the  young  woman  sit 
ting  quietly  there,  without  apparently  being  en 
gaged  in  any  way,  looked  sharply  at  her,  but  not 
icing  no  indications  of  physical  illness  upon  her 
wee  wan's  face  made  no  comment.  Bettina,  how 
ever,  as  her  old  nurse  was  about  to  leave  the  room, 
said: 

"  Margaret,  dear,  do  you  think  that  you  would 
like  to  go  home  with  Bonny  and  me  tomorrow? 
I  do  not  know  exactly  how  long  we  might  stay." 

"Yu  do  be  afther  knowin',  clarlin',  that  I  wud 
go  wid  ye  wheriver  ye  wud  say,  an'  all  that  I  wud 
iver  ask  wud  be  to  look  at  your  swate  face!  To 
see  ye  sit  there  so  solemn-like  an '  sthill  makes  me 
remimber  how  I  felt  that  day  whin  Tim  O'Keefe 
wint  off  for  good  and  all.  But  thin,"  she  ended 
shrewdly,  as  if  trying  to  do  away  with  the  implica 
tion  she  had  made,  ''bad  cess  til  him — no  wan  iver 
said  that  Tim  O'Keefe  was  a  born  jintleman." 

The  girl  was  silent  and  the  smile  with  which 


GROUNDED  157 

she  tried  to  dismiss  old  Margaret  was  somewhat 
forced.  As  soon  as  she  was  again  alone  she  re 
turned  to  the  contemplation  of  the  little  heap  of 
dull,  gray  ashes  that,  as  it  seemed  to  her,  was 
lying  there  before  her.  After  a  time  she  arose  and 
began  quietly  and  systematically,  to  make  prep 
arations  for  the  journey  she  had  decided  upon. 

While  she  was  so  engaged  she  heard  a  quick, 
strong  step  approaching.  This  sound  had  hither 
to  been  welcome,  but  now  it  brought  a  pang  of  such 
intensity  and  bitterness  it  seemed  to  the  young 
wife  she  could  not  bear  it  without  expressing  in 
some  way  the  agony.  It  seemed  to  her  that  she 
could  not  meet  him,  but  this  condition  did  not  last 
for  soon  her  innate  courage  and  the  consciousness 
of  her  own  innocence  made  her  brave.  She  did  not 
go  to  meet  him.  at  the  door  as  had  been  her  habit, 
but  instead  sat  quietly  in  the  low  rocker.  He 
crossed  the  room  with  his  usual  buoyant  confid 
ence  ;  then  noticing  the  attitude  she  had  assumed, 
he  dropped  upon  his  knees  beside  her  and  taking 
her  listless,  unresponsive  hands  in  his  firm,  mag 
netic  grasp,  he  asked  her  anxiously: 

"What  is  it,  little  girl?  Are' you  ill?  She 
looked  at  him  calmly  and  as  if  from  a  great  dis 
tance.  He  went  on, 1 1  Have  you  had  bad  news  con 
cerning  your  father?  Has  something  happened 
here  to  worry  or  alarm  you!"  He  arose  and  be 
gan  to  pace  back  and  forth  in  front  of  her.  "Tell 
me,  Bettina, ' '  he  cried,  stopping  for  a  moment,  and 
standing  tall  and  handsome,  looking  down  at  her, 
with  wonder  that  bordered  upon  fear  in  his  dark 
eyes,  ' '  tell  me  what  it  is ! " 

"There  is  nothing,"  she  began,  and  was  sur 
prised  to  find  how  politely  conventional  and 
strange  her  voice  sounded,  even  to  herself,  "that 
you  can  do — now.  It  may  be,"  she  went  on  as 


158  GROUNDED 

coolly  as  she  could,  although  she  could  not  keep 
her  lips  and  chin  from  trembling  pitifully,  "that 
my  father  will  wish  to  consult  with  you  concerning 
certain  matters  that  will  need  attention  later  on. 
But  I,"  she  ended,  answering  the  look  dawning  in 
his  eyes,  "must  fight  this  battle  out  alone.  I  have 
always  been  alone,  you  know, ' '  she  added,  as  if  in 
explanation  of  the  statement  she  had  made,  "until 
just  lately. ' ' 

"What  battle  do  you  mean,  Bettina?"  he  de 
manded.  "What  trouble  can  have  come  to  you 
that  your  husband  cannot  share  ?  Dear  little  wife, 
do  not  torture  yourself  needlessly.  Let  us  talk 
this  matter  over,  whatever  it  is,  and  face  it  to 
gether.  Don't  you  think  it  is  your  duty,"  he 
ended,  for  he  had  found  that  that  short  word  held 
a  powerful  leverage  with  her,  "to  let  me  know 
about  this — and  so  end  my  suspense  as  soon  as 
possible?" 

"Legal  marriage  is  only  the  outward  expres 
sion  of  a  tie  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  laws 
men  have  made;  when  this  tie  is  broken,  when  it 
no  longer  binds  two  human  beings  together,  then 
in  reality  the  marriage  is  at  an  end — then  in 
reality  the  two  human  beings  are  irretrievably 
separated." 

She  looked  down  and  the  man,  gazing  at  her 
pale,  sad  features,  understood — but  was  deter 
mined  not  to  seem  to  do  so.  Raising  her  from  the 
floor  he  lifted  her  until  her  eyes  were  on  a  level 
with  his  own  and  cried : 

"There  is  no  one  who  has  a  right  to  come  be 
tween  us !  I  belong  to  you,  and  you,"  holding  her 
close  to  his  wildly  throbbing  heart,  "belong  to 
me!" 

But  his  passionate  embrace  met  with  no  re 
sponse  this  time;  instead,  she  extricated  herself 


GROUNDED  159 

determinedly  from  his  arms,  and  when  she  was 
again  upon  her  feet  she  said  in  a  steady  voice : 
' '  The  tie  that  was  between  us  has  been  broken. ' ' 


XXXIV 

Old  Margaret  had  never  felt  entirely  at  home  in 
the  new  abode,  of  which  nevertheless  she  had 
cheerfully  made  herself  a  part.  The  prospect  of 
going  "home,"  though  perhaps  for  but  a  short 
time  was  very  pleasing  to  her.  She  went  about 
preparations  for  the  journey  with  alacrity,  and 
kept  them  up  almost  unceasingly  from  the  hour 
in  which  Bettina  had  told  her  until  she  was  com 
pelled  through  bodily  weariness  to  retire  for  the 
night.  She  was  up  betimes  the  following  morning, 
for  it  had  been  borne  in  on  her  that  she  should 
personally  attend  to  several  matters  before  her 
departure.  Now  she  was  closely  companioned  by 
Bonny  who,  knowing  that  some  change  in  which 
she  was  interested  was  about  to  take  place,  was 
keenly  alert.  Suddenly  Margaret's  attention  was 
attracted  to  a  figure  that  was  cautiously  if  not 
surreptitiously  drawing  near;  it  seemed  to  her 
that  there  was  something  familiar  about  its  ap 
pearance  and  when  she  saw  the  collie  advancing 
toward  it,  waving  her  plume-like  tail  as  if  to  give 
a  friendly  welcome,  she  recognized  her  ancient 
enemy,  Barney  McCoy.  As  the  little  man  came 
toward  her  he  raised  his  hat  and  smiled  ingratiat 
ingly,  but  did  not  risk  attempting  to  communicate 
with  her  through  the  medium  of  spoken  words, 
for  she  was  standing  stockstill,  arms  akimbo,  fists 
doubled  up  and  eyes  that  glared  defiantly  at  him. 
He  kept  smiling  and  after  a  while  the  old  woman, 
not  meeting  with  any  opposition  or  hearing  any 
declaration  of  war,  relaxed  a  little  her  martial  at 
titude.  Taking  advantage  of  this  cessation  of 

160 


GROUNDED  161 

probable  hositilities  the  tutor  with  for  him  con 
siderable  meekness  of  demeanor,  said : 

"I  have  been  expecting  for  some  time  to  re 
ceive  notice  from  my  former  pupil,  or  her  hus 
band,  apprising  me  of  their  readiness  to  usher 
me  into  my  new  position  (which  I  was  to  occupy 
in  the  capacity  of  private,  or  social,  secretary). 
Failing  to  receive  this  I  have  concluded  that  it 
must  have  gone  astray,  in  some  manner,  and  feel 
ing  that  complications  might  arise  in  consequence 
of  my  absence  I  decided  to  eliminate  any  pos 
sibility  of  the  miscarriage  of  a  formal  notification 
by  presenting  myself  here  in  person." 

Bonny  had  gingerly  sniffed  the  new  arrival  as  if 
to  confirm  the  testimony  of  her  ocular  sense,  and 
apparently  satisfied  as  to  his  identity  had  taken 
up  a  position  at  some  little  distance  from  the  two 
human  beings,  where,  sitting  upon  her  haunches, 
she  was  placidly  watching  them.  Old  Margaret 
had  listened  with  considerable  equanimity  to  the 
effusive  statement  made  her.  In  the  first  place, 
she  was  rather  gratified  to  observe  that  although 
she  was  his  only  auditor,  the  former  tutor  had  not 
hesitated  to  call  to  his  aid  some  excessively  elab 
orate  and  to  her  exceedingly  "dark,"  nomencla 
ture.  This  attitude  together  with  the  humility 
that  his  entire  personality  seemed  to  radiate,  bol 
stered  her  growing  belief  that  finally,  after  long 
years  of  ineffectual  struggling,  she  was  about  to 
gain  the  whip-hand  over  him,  to  be  in  a  position 
where  she  could  do  the  dictating,  instead  of  being 
treated  with  distant  dignity  as  if  she  were  an 
ignorant  underling.  Washing  to  treat  her  van 
quished  foe  with  generosity,  she  started  out  in  her 
new  character  with  moderation: 

"  I  do  be  af ther  thinkin '  that  what  we  expict  an ' 
what  we  do  be  layin'  our  hands  on,  in  this  wurrld, 


162  GROUNDED 

are  two  entoirely  siparate  affairs;  an'  whin  we 
die  we  may  expict  to  go  to  Hivin,  an'  play  wid 
harps  an'  walk  on  strates  of  gold — but  accordin' 
til  the  praste  we'll  be  more  likely  only  jist  to  see 
the  shinin'  strates  of  Hivin  as  we're  passin'  by, 
an'  what  we'll  lay  our  hands  on  will  be  burnin' 
coals  an'  pitchforks.  An'  as  to  this  position  that 
ye  do  be  afther  wantin',"  folding  her  arms  across 
her  breast  and  standing  so  straight  she  leaned  a 
little  backward,  "I  don't  see  why  the  darlin'  shud 
need  a  sicretary  now,  anny  more  than  she  did  whin 
ye  was  her  piddler's  gob!"  He  winced  as  she  ap 
plied  this  appellation  to  him  and  she  felt  that  she 
had  scored  another  triumph.  ' '  In  gineral,  I  shud 
say  it  wud  be  better  to  presint  yersilf  in  anny 
ither  way  excipt  in  person — but  howiver  that  may 
be,  presintin'  yersilf  whin  darlin'  is  away  won't 
do  ye  anny  good!" 

At  that  moment  Kurk  Kaleen  came  hastily  out 
of  the  house  and  started  toward  the  street,  but  was 
arrested  by  a  voice  that  was  so  anxious  as  to  be 
almost  appealing.  From  what  old  Margaret  had 
just  said  Barney  MjcCoy  feared  that  the  only  re 
maining  member  of  the  new  family  was  about  to 
escape  him,  and  adding  as  much  dignity  as  he 
could  muster  to  his  natural  self-assurance,  he  hur 
riedly  accosted  him: 

"My  dear  young  gentleman,  it  is  with  great 
pleasure  that  I  find  you  up  and  about  at  this  early 
hour  of  the  morning.  The  air  at  this  time  of  the 
day  has  a  bracing  quality  that,  as  I  am  well  aware 
from  my  own  experience,  has  a  stimulating  and 
exceedingly  beneficial  effect  upon  that  mysterious 
psychological  thing — the  human  intellect.  But  I 
have  come,  my  dear  young  gentleman,  to  assume 
the  duties  that  will  indubitably  attach  to  the  posi 
tion  which,  in  accordance  with  the  understanding 


GROUNDED  163 

that  I  had  with  you  before  your  marriage,  I  am  to 
occupy  here. ' ' 

Kurk  Kaleen  had  always,  so  far  as  able,  taken 
advantage  of  every  bit  of  flotsam  or  jetsam  that 
had  drifted  in  his  direction,  especially  if  he  could 
make  use  of  it  for  his  own  benefit.  Under  the 
peculiar  conditions  by  which  he  had  suddenly 
found  himself  surrounded,  it  occurred  to  him  that 
he  might  at  some  future  time  need  the  assistance 
of  someone  who  had  been  closely  connected  with 
the  family  of  his  young  wife.  Here  before  him 
stood  a  human  being  who  might  with  proper  man 
agement  assist  him  in  extricating  himself  from  the 
labyrinth  into  which  he  seemed  to  have  stumbled. 
Hence,  instead  of  sending  the  little  man  scorn 
fully  away,  as  he  might  under  pleasanter  circum 
stances  have  done,  he  signalled  to  him  to  follow 
him,  and  when  they  were  out  in  the  street  said 
guardedly : 

1 '  I  am  in  great  haste  this  morning,  and  will  not 
be  able  to  talk  this  matter  over  thoroughly  at  any 
time  today.  l '  He  bit  his  lip  and  looked  down  ner 
vously,  but  presently  added,  * '  If  you  will  be  here 
tomorrow  evening  at  eight  o'clock,  I  will  arrange 
to  be  at  libertv  then." 


XXXV 

As  soon  as  Margaret  0  'Keef e  had  removed  the 
cumbersome  cloak  and  throttling  headgear  that 
she  considered  proper  traveling  accoutrement, 
once  again  in  the  home  of  Walter  Wane,  she  be 
came  busily  and  officiously  engaged  in  examining 
into  everything  that  had  been  done  during  her 
absence.  She  felt  as  if  she  had  been  forced, 
through  her  love  for  her  wee  wan,  out  of  her 
natural  element,  and  now  she  fairly  disported 
herself  in  the  midst  of  familiar  scenes  and  con 
genial  surrounding. 

Bettina  went  at  once  to  her  father's  study,  and 
without  wasting  time  upon  unnecessary  explana 
tions,  or  giving  way  to  fruitless  emotion,  de 
clared  : 

'  *  My  mariage  was  a  mistake.  My  husband  and 
I  are  permanently  estranged.  I  wish  to  know 
what  you  think  I  ought  to  do." 

Father  and  daughter  regarded  each  other  seri 
ously  and  silently,  for  a  long  moment;  each  read 
in  the  eyes  of  the  other  unswerving  devotion  to 
truth,  undaunted  courage  and  the  ability  to  hold 
unfalteringly  to  a  purpose,  or  to  take  an  unalter 
able  resolve.  Before  he  spoke  Walter  Wane 
moved  his  chair  a  little  nearer  the  one  in  which  his 
daughter  sat. 

"There  is  but  one  thing  for  you  to  do,  my 
daughter.  If  you  can  no  longer  remain  in  the 
home  that  your  husband  has  provided  for  you, 
you  will  return  at  once  to  the  shelter  of  the  roof 
under  which  you  were  born.  Certain  matters  will 
require  adjustment,  but  all  that  is  necessary  at 

164 


GROUNDED  165 

the  present  time  is  that  a  perfect  understanding 
should  be  established  between  you  and  me,  so  that 
we  may  meet  together  whatever  contingencies  may 
arise.  I  do  not  wish  to  know  your  reasons  for  the 
decision  that  you  have  made,  except  insofar  as 
they  will  affect  my  attitude  toward  the  man  whose 
name  you  bear,  as  well  as  the  members  of  his 
immediate  family.  I  would  like  to  know  one  thing, 
Bettina,"  he  looked  directly,  and  with  reassuring 
kindness  into  her  dark  and  troubled  eyes,  "have 
you  become  convinced  that  your  husband  has  been 
untrue  to  his  marriage  vows?" 

Her  blue  eyes  filled  with  tears  she  was  not 
wholly  able  to  restrain,  and  with  her  long  brown 
lashes,  even  her  soft  cheeks,  wet  with  them,  she 
sadly  but  firmly  replied: 

"I  could  not  doubt  the  evidence  that  was  pre 
sented  to  me.  I  tried  to  make  myself  believe," 
her  low,  sweet  voice  was  trembling,  "that  I  had 
been  mistaken.  But  I  do  not  think  that  Kurk 
Kaleen,"  and  even  in  her  gentle  tones  there  was 
a  trace  of  bitterness,  "was  ever  really  true  to  any 
thing!  It  seemed  as  natural  for  him  to  lie  as  it 
has  always  been  for  me  to  speak  the  truth.  I  did 
not  know  that  men  could  be  like  that,  Father," 
she  ended  pitifully.  "I  supposed  that  they  were 
all  like  you." 

"I  deeply  regret  my  inability,  Bettina,"  his 
strong  voice  shook  with  suppressed  feeling,  "to 
have  saved  you  from  the  bitterness  of  this  ex 
perience;  it  goes  to  show  how  limited  and  liable 
to  err  is  my  human  understanding.  I  have  always 
tried  to  shield  you,  ever  since  as  a  helpless  infant 
you  were  given  into  my  care,  and  yet  when  for 
the  first  time  in  your  life  you  really  needed  pro 
tection,  I  was  unable  to  give  it  to  you.  Because 
we  were  both  blinded  by  outward  appearance  so 


166  GROUNDED 

that  we  did  not  recognize  the  character  of  that 
which  lay  beneath  them.  I  hoped  at  one  time  to 
gain  the  power  to  penetrate  the  masks  that  human 
beings  almost  always  wear,  to  watch  the  working 
of  the  underlying  motives  that  are  the  causes  of 
the  actions  that  we  see,  and  are  apt  to  judge  each 
other  by.  I  still  hope,"  he  went  on  more  cheer 
fully,  as  if  a  sudden  thought  had  heartened  him, 
'  *  that  I  may  be  able  through  the  practical  applica 
tion  of  certain  theories  that  I  have  recently  been 
permitted  to  study  to  add  to  the  efficiency  of  my 
perceptive  faculties.  It  may  be,  my  daughter," 
he  concluded,  giving  her  somehow  a  sense  of  com 
radeship  with  him  such  as  she  had  never  felt  be 
fore,  "that  I  shall  be  able,  now  that  you  have  re 
turned  to  me,  to  proceed  with  this  study — to  which 
I  had  decided  to  devote  my  life  before  you  came 
into  this  world." 

The  pallor  of  the  girl 's  young  face,  the  dark  cir 
cles  beneath  her  eyes  and  the  shadow  that  lay  like 
a  storm-cloud  within  the  eyes  themselves,  testified 
to  the  fact  that  she  had  writhed  in  agony,  as  ten 
der  women  always  do  when  those  they  love  are 
lost  to  them.  They  showed  that  she  had  spent 
sleepless  nights,  tossing  restlessly  back  and  forth 
trying  to  unravel  the  skein  that  had  been  hopeless 
ly  entangled  before  it  had  been  even  placed  within 
her  human  hands ;  proved  that  she  had  shed  sear 
ing,  scathing,  unavailing  tears.  Yet  the  fact  that, 
having  made  a  definite  decision,  she  had  acted 
upon  it  immediately  instead  of  dallying  with  the 
verdict  and  thus  prolonging  but  not  assuaging 
the  torturing  suspense,  exhibited  the  strength  as 
well  as  the  purity  of  her  character.  She  looked  up 
now,  steadily  and  frankly,  as  if  indeed  she  herself 
had  been  separated  for  the  time  being  from  all 
that  had  thus  far  come  into  her  human  life — as  if 


GROUNDED  167 

the  powerful  emotions  that  had  been  holding  her 
beneath  their  sway  had  wrenched  her  entirely  out 
of  herself — as  if  all  that  had  gone  before  was  but 
a  background,  dimly  seen  and  constantly  receding. 
Her  father  recognized  this  mental  attitude,  and 
wishing  to  encourage  it  announced : 

"I  think  that  I  myself  will  direct  your  studies 
henceforth.  The  education  you  have  already  had 
has  of  necessity  been  to  a  certain  extent  of  a  rudi 
mentary  or  preparatory  nature.  You  are  now, 
for  some  mysterious  reason,  separated  from  your 
own  kind,  so  that  you  can  be  like  an  onlooker  in 
stead  of  an  actor,  watching  but  not  taking  part  in 
the  conflicting  emotions  that  govern  human  life; 
thus  you  will  form  unbiased  opinions,  and  reason 
calmly  from  cause  to  effect.  I  believe,  Bettina, 
that  everything  that  comes  to  us  is  sent  to  us  for 
some  definite  purpose  which  we  can  further  by 
adjusting  ourselves  as  congenially  as  possible  to 
conditions  and  taking  advantage  of  every  step 
that  plainly  leads  toward  progress. " 

That  night  Bettina,  like  a  wounded  dove,  crept 
into  the  soft,  warm  nest  that  her  old  nurse  had 
lovingly  prepared  for  her ;  it  was  almost  as  if  she 
wrere  a  little  child  again,  for  Bonny  came  and  stood 
beside  her  bed  as  if  to  say  that  she  would  be  on 
guard. 

The  girl  was  very  weary,  like  a  traveler  who 
has  journeyed  far,  and  she  slept  as  one  who,  after 
journeying  has  found  his  way  back  home. 

"Miss  darlin',"  called  old  Margaret  the  next 
morning,  before  the  young  woman  was  fairly 
awake,  "I  do  be  afther  thinkin'  the  violets  an' 
daisies  will  be  glad  to  see  the  two  of  us,  baith  at 
the  same  time  togither!  An'  I  hope,"  she  mut 
tered,  sotto  voce,  "that  niver  in  this  wurrld — nor 
yit  in  anny  ither  wurrld — will  ye  be  afther  meetin ' 
anither  handsome  an'  allurin'  man!" 


XXXVI 

Kurk  Kaleen's  father  was  secretly  elated, 
although  apparently  perturbed,  when  he  received 
from  Walter  Wiane  the  formal  announcement  of 
the  arrival  of  his  daughter.  The  dignified  and  dis 
tant  courtesy  of  this  announcement  was  charac 
teristic  of  its  writer,  and  was  understood  by  the 
one  to  whom  addressed  as  a  final  notification. 

Father  and  son  then  held  a  long  and  serious 
consultation,  during  the  course  of  which  the  for 
mer  said : 

' '  I  trust  that  you  will  not  allow  this  unpleasant 
experience  to  greatly  interfere  with  your  future. 
Young  men  frequently  make  unfortunate  matri 
monial  alliances,  but  usually,  after  they  are  legally 
freed  from  uncongenial  entanglements,  they  do  not 
feel  any  deleterious  effects.  In  this  particular 
case  the  great  seclusion  and  pronounced  pride  of 
the  family  with  which  we  have  to  deal  preclude 
the  possibility  of  unnecessary  notoriety.  Finan 
cially,  affairs  can  be  arranged  readily  and  without 
friction/' 

"I  have  not  yet,"  the  young  man  declared,  his 
dark  eyes  flashing  dogged  determination,  "aban 
doned  hope  of  reconciliation.  My  wife,  on  account 
of  her  youth  and  inexperience,  has  been  deeply  af 
fected  by  what  is  not  really  a  very  grave  matter. 
I  hope  that  after  she  has  had  time  for  reflection 
and  fully  realizes  the  change  that  she  would  be 
making  in  her  life  if  she  remained  in  her  father's 
home,  she  will  decide  to  return  to  me.  I  shall  use 
every  possible  effort,"  looking  boldly  and  signifi 
cantly  into  his  father's  face,  "to  bring  about  this 
result." 

168 


GROUNDED  169 

The  older  man  looked  at  him,  quizzically  and 
thoughtfully.  Finally,  as  if  he  had  come  to  some 
definite  decision,  he  said: 

"  There  is  a  matter  concerning  which  you  are 
as  yet  in  ignorance  that  might  perhaps  have  some 
weight  with  you.  You  no  doubt  remember  that 
Walter  Wane  insisted  upon  having  a  conference 
with  me  prior  to  your  marriage.  He  bound  me 
strictly  to  secrecy  concerning  the  information  that 
he  gave  me,  at  that  time,  and  had  your  marriage 
proved  a  happy  one  I  should  probably  never  have 
divulged  it.  Under  the  present  circumstances  it 
seems  to  me  that  I  may  honorably  consider  myself 
freed  at  least  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  from 
the  promise  I  made  him/'  He  walked  over  until 
he  was  standing  near  his  son,  who  had  impulsively 
risen,  preparatory  to  leaving  the  room,  and  plac 
ing  one  hand  on  the  younger  man's  shoulder  con 
tinued,  * '  I  think  I  have  told  you  that  Walter  Wane 
was  considered  at  one  time  by  many  of  his  asso 
ciates  as  somewhat  mentally  unbalanced.  What 
he  told  me  when  I  went  to  see  him  at  his  request 
would  tend  to  confirm  rather  than  refute  any 
statement  of  this  nature.  He  said  to  me  that  he 
believed  that  the  human  intellect  progresses  as 
the  bud  expands,  until  in  due  time  it  becomes  the 
blossom;  when  it  has  reached  a  certain  state  of 
perfection — whether  through  the  endurance  of 
excruciating  bodily  pain  or  the  bearing  of  intense 
mental  agony,  refining  the  mind  as  the  crucible 
purifies  the  metal  that  in  its  crude  condition  has 
been  thrown  into  it — it  leaves  its  physical  environ 
ment  and  without  perceptible  or  at  least  conscious 
change,  continues  to  progress.  He  wanted  me  to 
know,"  looking  impressively  at  his  son,  "that  he 
was  not  in  sympathy  with  many  of  the  orthodox 
forms  of  religious  belief,  although  he  admitted 


170  GROUNDED 

that  he  had  always  complied  with  them  in  every 
important  particular. ' ' 

The  young  man  had  listened  carefully  to  all  that 
had  been  said  and  when  his  father  ceased  speak 
ing  he  came  a  little  nearer  to  him  even  than 
they  had  been  before,  and  resting  both  his  hands 
on  the  older  man's  shoulders,  looked  directly  and 
earnestly  into  his  eyes. 

"I  think  I  understand  your  motives,  and  I  know 
that  you  have  always  my  best  interests  at  heart. 
But  I  must  be  allowed  to  use  my  own  judgment. 
I  do  not  consider  that  Mr.  Wane's  peculiar  be 
liefs,  for  or  against  prevailing  forms  of  religion, 
can  have  any  bearing  upon  my  individual  family 
relations. ' ' 

Realizing  that  further  argument  in  this  direc 
tion  would  be  useless,  and  knowing  the  stubborn 
ness  of  his  son's  disposition,  Kurk  Kaleen's 
father  forbore  to  aggravate  the  situation,  but  on 
the  contrary  endeavored  to  emphasize  the  friendly 
feeling  already  existing  between  the  younger  man 
and  himself.  In  pursuance  of  this  desire  he  earn 
estly  declared: 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  seem  to  dictate  in  any  way ! 
I  only  wanted  you  to  know  everything  that  I  my 
self  had  been  made  aware  of,  that  might  more  or 
less  affect  you."  Then,  wishing  to  change  the 
subject,  he  cast  about  in  his  mind  in  search  of  a 
suitable  theme  for  conversation.  Finally,  as  if  he 
had  found  the  very  idea,  he  continued, ( l  Have  you 
seen  Miss  Burton  lately?  I  met  her  father  re 
cently  and  found  him  a  very  interesting,  sagacious 
man.  She  herself  is  without  doubt  a  very  bright, 
attractive  and  decidely  original  young  woman. 
I  have  never  met  a  more  courageous,  sensible  per 
son  than  she — the  buoyancy  of  her  nature  is  de 
lightfully  refreshing ! ' ' 


GROUNDED  171 

He  waited,  hoping  that  his  son  would  take  up 
the  subject  he  had  introduced,  but  as  he  did  not 
seem  inclined  to  do  so  he  as  casually  inquired : 

1  '  Have  you  ever  thought  that  you  would  care  to 
visit  America? " 

The  young  man  reluctantly  replied: 

"I  expect  to  go  there  sometime.  As  you  know, 
I  have  traveled  very  little  except  in  my  own  and 
adjacent  countries.  That  part  of  my  education 
has  been  to  a  great  extent  sadly  neglected,  and  I 
must  remedy  the  matter  whenever  suitable  oppor 
tunities  are  offered  me.  It  seems  to  me  that  travel 
is  apt  to  broaden  one's  view,  give  one  fresh  ideas 
and  shed  new  light  upon  beliefs  that  one  already 
holds." 

Kurk  Kaleen's  father  was  not  without  spirit, 
although  the  meekness  with  which  he  had  been 
bearing  his  son's  numerous  evasions  might  lead 
one  w^ho  did  not  know  him  to  think  so.  Feeling 
that  nothing  could  be  gained  by  further  concilia 
tory  measures  and  determined  to  find  out  some 
thing  that  he  very  much  desired  to  know,  he  de 
cided  to  throw  discretion  to  the  winds. 

"I  am  going  to  ask  you  a  question  which 
you  may  consider  impertinent,  but  to  which  never 
theless  I  expect  a  direct  answer.  ' '  The  young  man 
recognized  the  tone  of  voice  as  being  one  with 
which  he  had  been  more  or  less  familiar  during 
his  boyhood.  "Have  you  ever  seriously  consid 
ered  whether  or  not  you  \vould  marry  Miss  Lena 
Burton?" 

The  expression  of  Kurk  Kaleen's  countenance 
as  he  silently  regarded  his  father  was  kindly,  even 
affectionate ;  at  length,  speaking  firmly  and  stead 
ily,  he  said: 

"  I  do  not  think  that  one  man  has  a  right  to  ask 
another  a  question  of  that  sort." 


XXXVII 

Many  of  the  acquaintances  of  Kurk  Kaleen  who 
had  met  his  retiring  young  wife  pitied  her  pro 
foundly  when  they  heard  of  the  separation  of  the 
young  couple,  for  they  immediately  concluded  that 
he  had  wearied  of  the  sameness  of  domestic  life 
and  had  voluntarily  sent  her  away  from  him,  his 
reputation  as  a  fascinating  as  well  as  fickle  lover 
having  been  well  earned.  Sometimes,  however,  a 
stream  which  has  rippled  beneath  many  a  light 
and  shifting  breeze  is  suddenly  strongly  and  deep 
ly  stirred  by  a  force  so  mighty  that  all  that  has 
gone  before  is  obliterated  by  it ;  and  so  it  was  with 
the  emotional  nature  of  the  dark,  eager,  alert, 
young  fellow  who  early  one  morning  arrived  at 
the  home  of  Walter  Wane.  As  he  had  hoped 
would  be  the  case  he  found  that  Bettina,  accom 
panied  as  usual  by  her  old  nurse,  had  gone  out  for 
a  walk.  He  started  in  the  direction  in  which  he 
felt  sure  they  had  gone  and  soon  caught  sight  of 
them,  the  young  woman  moving  along  so  slowly 
that  old  Margaret  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping 
pace.  As  he  came  within  earshot  he  distinctly 
heard  Bettina 's  sweet  voice  saying: 

' '  Margaret,  dear,  you  do  enjoy  being  out  in  the 
country  again,  don 't  you  ? ' ' 

The  tones  of  her  voice  had  never  sounded  sweet 
er  or  more  musical  than  they  did  then ;  to  see  her 
moving  along  there  before  him,  so  near  and  yet 
so  very  far  away,  was  hard  for  his  impatient 
strength.  He  longed  to  speak  to  her  but  dreaded 
the  possible  reception  that  might  be  awaiting  him. 

172 


GROUNDED  173 

While  he  hesitated  he  heard  quick,  pattering  foot 
steps  behind,  and  was  convinced  that  Bonny  was 
approaching.  To  avoid  complications  with  the 
collie,  which  he  knew  from  experience  might  arise, 
he  hurried  forward  and,  placing  one  hand,  gently, 
on  Bettina  's  arm,  whispered : 
* '  Dear  little  girl,  I  missed  you !  I  had  to  come ! ' ' 
Flesh  and  blood  are  marvelous  conductors  of 
magnetic  force ;  this  fact  is  being  repeatedly  prov 
en  in  many  ways.  "The  laying  on  of  hands"  is 
proverbial;  any  human  being  who  attempts  to 
calm,  control  or  influence  any  earthly  creature, 
knows  the  advantage  to  be  gained  by  actual  con 
tact  If  a  person  who  is  trying  to  govern  the  ac 
tions  of  any  other  has  already  had  experience  with 
the  creature  in  question  that  experience  will  be 
advantageous  to  him,  and  Kurk  Kaleen's  mem 
ories  of  the  warmth  and  intensity  of  his  young 
wife's  affectionate,  passionate  and  almost  entirely 
hitherto  suppressed  nature  were  very  vivid,  very 
compelling.  It  did  not  seem  possible  that  her 
sweet  lips,  yielded  as  they  had  been  to  him  alone, 
would  be  f orevermore  withheld ;  it  did  not  seem  to 
him  that  he  would  nevermore  be  electrified  and 
thrilled  by  the  clasp  of  her  soft  arms.  Bettina 
herself  was  conscious  of  the  power  of  his  pres 
ence  ;  the  tinglingly  delicious,  surging  ecstasy  that 
instantly  and  without  her  own  volition  registered 
itself  upon  her  flesh  and  all  of  her  sensitive,  an 
swering,  normal  nerves  would  have  apprised  her 
of  the  fact  that  he  was  there,  without  his  spoken 
words.  But  the  forces  that  appeal  to  body  and 
blood  alone,  once  understood  and  classified,  are 
not  permitted  to  direct  the  action  of  a  refined  and 
reasoning  human  being.  Other  magnetic  currents 
— more  powerful  than  those  that  can  be  conducted 
only  through  an  earthly  body — were  set  in  motion 


174  GROUNDED 

when  the  young  wife  knew  that  the  man  into  whose 
keeping  she  in  her  innocence  had  given  the  first 
flower  of  her  womanhood  was  near  her.  These 
latter  currents  are  constantly  above,  beneath  and 
around  every  living  being  with  an  intelligence  that 
is  capable  of  rising  above  the  demands  of  merely 
physical  appetites.  That  part  of  Bettina  Wane, 
through  which  alone  the  stronger  currents  can 
find  their  way  and  so  exert  their  influence,  had 
been  from  the  very  beginning  of  her  mortal  exist 
ence — whether  through  inheritance  or  not,  I  am 
not  able  to  determine — particularly  sensitive. 
Through  education  and  environment  they  had 
been  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  they  com 
pletely  overcame  or  effectually  deflected  those 
lower  forces  that  might  now  have  guided  or  tem 
porarily  controlled  her.  Bettina  Kaleen  had  taken 
into  her  married  life  the  high  ideals,  the  unbroken 
and  beautiful  aspirations,  and  the  fresh,  untar 
nished  and  devoted  faith  of  her  girlhood.  She 
had  placed  all  these  within  the  structure  in  which 
her  husband  and  herself  alone  could  dwell— 
their  marital  faith;  under  the  protection  and  in 
the  safety  of  this  dignified  and  imposing  dwelling 
she  had  expected  that  they  too  would  remain 
while  their  human  hearts  continued  to  beat  and 
while  the  warm,  responsive  blood  continued  to 
flow  through  their  human  veins.  When  this  struc 
ture  that  she  had  builded  began  to  exist  for  her 
alone,  as  represented  by  the  little  heap  of  dull, 
gray  ashes,  the  powerful  physical  currents  had  for 
the  time  being  been  made  comparatively  inactive. 
So  that  when  the  electrifying  human  hand  of  Kurk 
Kaleen  lay  once  more  upon  the  arm  of  her  who 
was  even  then  legally  his  wife,  the  current  that  it 
immediately  established  was  met,  counteracted 


GROUNDED  175 

and  eventually  grounded  by  the  action  of  a  force 
beside  which  it  was  powerless,  even  puerile. 

1  i  I  am  very  sorry  if  you  have  had  to  suffer  too/' 
Bettina  spoke  quite  calmly,  having  been  able  al 
most  at  once  to  recover  from  the  shock  his  unex 
pected  presence  had  given  her.  "Yet  I  believe 
you  will  soon  find  you  do  not  miss  me  very  much. ' ' 
There  was  no  sound  of  self-pity  or  regret  in  her 
steady  tones.  "I  surely  hope  that  this  will  be  so. 
I,"  she  went  on  coolly,  as  if  she  were  discussing 
some  little  accident  that  had  recently  involved 
them  both,  * '  expect  to  turn  my  attention  to  serious 
study,  perhaps  travel,  with  my  father." 

Old  Margaret  had  been  trudging  along,  a  silent 
but  openly  curious  spectator  of  the  scene.  The 
belligerent  expression  that  had  spread  itself  over 
her  countenance  as  soon  as  she  had  realized  to 
whom  the  quick,  strong  step  that  she  had  heard 
belonged,  gave  way  to  one  of  pleased  surprise  that 
soon  developed  into  proud,  triumphant  satisfac 
tion  when  she  "sensed"  Bettina 's  attitude,  and 
listened  to  the  clear,  calm  tones  of  her  sweet 
voice.  When  these  had  ceased,  however,  and  the 
silence  had  become  oppressive  to  her,  she  ex 
claimed,  ignoring  the  young  man 's  presence  alto 
gether  : 

"I  do  be  afther  thinkin',  darlin',  that  we,  the 
baith  of  us  at  the  same  toime,  togither,  will  be 
afther  havin'  a  foine  toime  whin  we  do  be  afther 
crossin'  the  say  an'  inspictin'  all  thim  furrin' 
lands  that  ye  Ve  been  afther  readin ',  an '  I  Ve  been 
dramin'  about — iver  since  we  knew  that  we  cud 
walk,  at  all,  at  all. ' ' 

"Yes,  Margaret,  dear,"  the  girl's  tones  now 
were  tender  and  protecting,  l l  I  think  we  shall  see 
much  that  is  interesting  and  beautiful." 

By  the  time  that  Bonny  had  come  up  with  the 


176  GROUNDED 

little  group  the  young  man  was  a  little  behind  the 
others,  so  that  Bonny,  although  she  recognized 
him  perfectly,  did  not  molest  him.  Indeed,  as  her 
great  eyes  solemnly  regarded  him,  there  was  more 
of  pity  than  malignity  in  their  brown  depths;  it 
was  as  if  she  knew  that  the  sins — that  she  had 
all  along  suspected — had  found  him  out,  and  that 
he  was  being  sent  away  because  of  them.  Bonny 
was  naturally  a  gentle  creature,  and  her  inborn 
instincts  prompted  her  to  help  all  those  she  knew 
to  be  unfortunate.  Kurk  Kaleen  at  that  moment 
glanced  in  her  direction  and  instead  of  growling 
at  him  as  she  had  done  more  than  once  before 
she  smiled  at  him,  a  little  sadly  it  is  true,  and 
began  to  wave  her  plume-like  tail. 

Perhaps  in  acknowledgment  of  this  change  in 
her  attitude  toward  him  he  included  her  in  the 
sweeping  glance  of  his  flashing  dark  eyes  when  he 
said: 

"I  will  no  longer  intrude.  I  wish  you  a  very 
good  morning." 


THE  END. 


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